Ankylosing Spondylitis

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What is Arthritis?

The word arthritis means ‘inflammation of the joints’ - a condition involving pain, swelling, heat, stiffness and sometimes redness of a joint. Arthritis is so widespread that an entire chapter in Professor Yoland Lim's book 'Your Body is Your Doctor' is dedicated to this non-discriminatory and ancient chronic crippling disease. It affects multiple levels of society, traditionally including Egyptian pharaohs, through to others in their, and our society.

Professor Yoland Lim states that whilst climatic conditions of 'dampness' and changing weather in the world may be contributing to the high incidence of arthritis, in his opinion diet is a greater cause. The optimal diet for arthritis should be curated to avoid obesity whilst maintaining good healthy nutrition. Professor Yoland Lim's management program has treated a number of patients over the last nearly 50 years.

This program consists of three steps: 

1. Elimination and cleansing process
2. Building up process
3. Exercise 

The elimination and cleansing process is the most important. The body becomes a storehouse of junk which has been deposited in the cells. It is vital that your body has a 'clean' foundation to build on. Through time, whether it be from dietary factors, or chronic overuse, or a genetic component, just like a building, our foundations must be strong. The cleansing process initially involves a calm mental approach. 

The building up process may incorporate physical and breathing exercises, which are known to improve circulation, increase oxygen intake thereby bringing more nutrients to the cells for repair and dissipate unwanted metabolites. The building up process involves a positive physical and mental approach to health. A nutritious fresh food diet may be prescribed along with other medications.

Professor Yoland Lim Health Care's medical approach (Fong Yang Therapy) is to work in conjunction with fellow medical practitioners and specialists with a general medical holistic patient centered approach to help co-ordinate and integrate care of the patient, including wellbeing, stress, and mental health in addition to acupuncture. 

Doctors who are up to date with medical research in the benefits of acupuncture, know there is a famous and well respected Vickers Trial from Europe, which was a "Systematic review...with a total of 17,922 patients analysed. Conclusions: Acupuncture is effective for the treatment of chronic pain".

References

Arch Intern Med. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2013 Oct 22.

Published in final edited form as:

Arch Intern Med. 2012 Oct 22; 172(19): 1444–1453.

doi: 10.1001/archinternmed.2012.3654

PMCID: PMC3658605

NIHMSID: NIHMS467452

PMID: 22965186

Acupuncture for chronic pain: individual patient data meta-analysis

Andrew J. Vickers et al

There are no ‘miracle diets’ for arthritis. A balanced, nourishing diet is advised and designed to keep the body strong and at its proper weight. Certain kinds of arthritis may involve special dietary considerations. Some people with rheumatoid arthritis may feel ill, stop eating and lose weight. 

People with osteoarthritis tend to become inactive because of joint pain and thus gain weight. A sensible reducing diet (not a sudden crash program) may be required. Patients with gout may have to cut back their intake of certain meats, shellfish or alcohol.

It depends on the kind of exercise, and the kind of arthritis. 

In active rheumatoid arthritis, the painful stiff joints tend to freeze up. They must not be allowed to do so. Each affected joint should be mobilised and if possible through its complete range of motion, at least twice a day – with the aid of another person if necessary. 

Professor Yoland Lim Health Care has developed gentle exercises which will be tailored for your treatment. Walking and swimming also may form an important part of the treatment.

• Application of mild warmth may make movement easier for osteoarthritis to combat the cold and damp which exacerbates symptoms.
• Isometric exercises won’t overload stiff joints and may help keep the adjacent muscles strong and in tone. Swimming is excellent as it usually does not cause undue stress on the joints.
• Heavy, vigorous exercise, such as jogging or hiking up hills, can increase pain, joint damage, excessive exercise may do further damage.

Relieving the joints of unnecessary work is an important part of treatment, but these joints must not be allowed to be totally immobile.

Arthritis treatment program may involve:

• Fong Yang Shi Luo Dou, Professor Yoland Lim Health Care's form of Acupuncture Treatment 
• Professor Yoland Lim Health Care's binaural therapy: Meditation Music (Chanting) originating from Professor Yoland Lim's forefathers.  
• Fong Yang Chi Kong exercise 
• Diet based on 5 elements

Professor Yoland Lim Health Care also recommends:

i) Balanced fresh food diet

ii) Eliminating sugar, flour, chicken and tinned and pre-packaged food from the diet while

iii) Increasing daily consumption of fresh vegetables.

A positive calm mental approach, exercises, and physical and breathing exercises may be advised to improve circulation and increase oxygen distribution.

CREST syndrome is a condition comprised of several ongoing medical issues. It is also known as limited scleroderma, and is a widespread connective tissue disease characterised by changes in the skin, blood vessels, skeletal muscles and internal organs[1]. 

As an autoimmune disorder it understood that in CREST syndrome the immune system is producing too much collagen ultimately impairing the function of the skin and internal organs[1]. CREST is an acronym for the clinical features that are seen in affected patients and at least two of the five features must be present to be diagnosed with CREST syndrome[2]:

- C – Calcinosis- formation of calcium deposits under the skin on the fingers 

- R – Raynaud’s phenomenon- the spasm of blood vessels in the fingers or toes in response to cold or stress

- E – Esophageal dysmotility- difficulty in swallowing

- S – Sclerodactyly- the tightening of the skin

- T – Telangiecyasia- the dilation of vessels on the skin

There is currently no cure for CREST syndrome and current treatments and strategies are aimed to relieve signs and symptoms and prevent complications[1].

References 

[1] National Centre for Advancing Translational Sciences (January 2018) CREST syndrome rarediseases.info.nih.gov/diseases/12430/crest-syndrome

[2] Lupus Research Alliance. Glossary: CREST Syndrome lupusresearch.org/glossary_of_terms/crest-syndrome/

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the commonest arthritis and is a degenerative joint disease occurring in 10% of the adult population with 50% of over 60 year olds having it. Sooner or later, if you live long enough, you are likely to encounter this. It affects both men and women equally. For some it is only a minor, occasionally disabling irritation but for others it may be a continual source of distress.

Unlike RA, OA joint involvement is not necessarily symmetrical. Pain and stiffness gets worse by the end of the day and worse with activity. It feels better after resting and worse in cold and damp conditions. 

Professor Yoland Lim Health Care may advise on daily range-of-motion exercise, such as its Fong Yang Therapy Exercises but vigorous exercise is cautioned against as this may do more harm to already damaged joints. Since many people with OA simply can’t engage in regular exercise, weight control becomes even more important. But a 'crash diet' that may harm the rest of the body is not advisable. What is needed is a balanced nutritional diet including fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meat or other protein and some non-sugary cereal foods and dairy products in small enough quantities to achieve a gradual consistent weight loss. 

Although the ‘big three’ – rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and gouty arthritis account for the vast preponderance of arthritis, there are also other forms. An example is that there are several forms of juvenile (child) arthritis, different from the adult form, which can commence from infancy through to late adolescence, and beyond.  

• Bursitis: inflammation of bursa, a protective fluid-filled pouch overlaying the shoulder, elbow, knee or other joint or bony prominence. Includes housemaid knee, bunion.
• Tennis Elbow: strain of forearm muscles on the outer side of the elbow. From overuse: hammering, tennis, driving, etc. 
• Tendonitis and tenosynovitis: inflammation of tendons and/or tendon sheaths of the shoulder, wrist, hip or heel. 
• Torticolus (Stiff Neck): spasm of the neck muscles causing turning and tilting of the head. 
• Fibromyositis: inflammation of muscle and connective tissue due to acute strain, includes lumbago. 
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: wrist pain; pain, tingling, weakness of palm and thumb due to tightening of wrist ligaments and consequent pressure on median nerve in hand.

Raynaud’s phenomenon is a condition induced by the cold and stress where there is a short-term interruption of blood flow to our extremities (fingers and toes) as the body redirects blood from the extremities to the internal organs[1]. 

Raynaud’s phenomenon can also affect other body parts, such as the nose, lips and ears. There are two kinds of Raynaud’s phenomenon: 

1. Primary Raynaud’s phenomenon- whereby the underlying cause is unknown and generally happens sporadically

2. Secondary Raynaud’s phenomenon- arises as a product of other medical conditions, typically autoimmune disorders[2]. 

Due to the narrowing of blood vessels as a result of the redirection of blood, the most common symptom is the extremities turning a white, then blue colour leading to a stinging/tingling pain and numbness[3], followed by a change to a red hue. 

Treatment includes keeping your body and extremities warm and avoiding exposure to the cold. In more severe cases, prescribed medication can be issued to improve circulation and widen the blood vessels[4]. Alongside these treatments, a study published in the Journal of Internal Medicine has highlighted the positive effects of acupuncture in treating patients with Raynaud’s syndrome with all treated patients showing a decreased in the frequency of Raynaud attacks[5].

References

[1] Better Health Channel (2019, August) Raynaud’s phenomenon. betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/raynauds-phenomenon

[2] Musculoskeletal Australia. Raynaud’s Phenomenon. msk.org.au/raynauds-phenomenon/

[3] John Hopkins Medicine Raynaud’s Phenomenon hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/raynauds-phenomenon

[4] Health Direct (2018, August) Raynaud’s phenomenon. healthdirect.gov.au/raynauds-phenomenon

[5] Appiah, R et al (2003, October) Treatment of primary Raynaud’s syndrome with traditional Chinese acupuncture. Journal of Internal Medicine Vol 241 (2). doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2796.1997.91105000.x

Scleroderma or systemic sclerosis is a chronic autoimmune connective tissue disease that affects many parts of the body and involves the thickening or hardening of skin and tissue[1]. Patients with scleroderma commonly suffer from internal organ complications such as:

• gastrointestinal disease
• renal crisis
• lung disease
• pericarditis and 
• heart defects[2]. 

There are two major types of Scleroderma: 

1. Localised scleroderma (affecting only the skin and sometimes muscle) and 
2. Systemic sclerosis (affecting blood vessels, joints, the digestive system and internal organs)[3].

The severity of scleroderma varies from patient to patient but common symptoms include: 

• Raynaud’s phenomenon
• stiffness and pain in joints and muscles
• thickening and hardening of the skin and 
• if internal organs are affected, indigestion, heartburn, constipation and diarrhoea[4]. 

Although there are various drugs used in the treatment of scleroderma, a study from 2015 published by the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health’s investigated the effects of acupuncture as a treatment and found beneficial results in patients who were not responsive to medication[5]. 

References

[1] Scleroderma Australia. What is Scleroderma? sclerodermaaustralia.com.au/about/about-scleroderma

[2] The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP). Red flags in scleroderma. racgp.org.au/afpbackissues/2008/200810/200810Li.pdf

[3] Arthritis Australia. Scleroderma. arthritisaustralia.com.au/types-of-arthritis/scleroderma/

[4] Better Health Channel. Scleroderma. betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/scleroderma

[5] Saliha et al (2015) Beneficial Acupuncture Treatment For Systemic Sclerosis which was Non-Responsive to Medications.  Acupuncture & Electro-Therapeutics Research Vol 40 (3) 205-214. doi: 10.3727/036012915x14473562233021

 Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune condition affecting almost any organ or system in the body. The normal role of the body’s immune system is to fight off infections and diseases. In autoimmune conditions such as SLE our immune system mistakes healthy tissue as foreign bodies (such as bacteria and viruses) causing healthy tissue to be attacked[1]. 

SLE is more predominant in women and is more commonly seen and severe in: 

• Indigenous Australians
• Polynesians and 
• South East Asian backgrounds[2]. 

The exact cause of SLE is unknown but it is thought a combination of genetic, environmental and hormonal factors may play a role in the onset of SLE[3].

Common symptoms of SLE include[4]:

• Extreme fatigue 
• A vague feeling of discomfort or illness
• Fever
• Loss of appetite 
• Weight loss 
• Joint pain (typically the same joint on both sides of the body) 
• Muscle pain and weakness

Moreover, individuals affected by SLE typically present with skin problems[4]. The most typical being a flat red rash across the cheeks and bridge of the nose, called a “butterfly rash” but other skin problems that may occur include calcium deposits under the skin, damaged blood vessels and petechiae (tiny red spots on the skin). 

There is currently no cure for SLE but different medications are available to help control and manage an overactive immune system[5]. Medical practitioner led management involving lifestyle changes can help manage lupus, such as understanding what causes your skin flare ups, managing exposure to UV light and regular exercise. 

References

[1] Arthritis Australia. Lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus) arthritisaustralia.com.au/types-of-arthritis/lupus-systemic-lupus-erythematosus/ 

[2] Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (2019, May) Systemic Lupus Erythematosis (SLE) allergy.org.au/patients/autoimmunity/systemic-lupus-erythematosus-sle

[3] Medline Plus. Systemic lupus erythematosus medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000435.htm

[4] U.S. National Library of Medicine (2020, February) Systemic lupus erythematosus ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/systemic-lupus-erythematosus

[5] Better Health Channel (2019, August) Lupus betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/lupus