A breakthrough discovery can help joints, even when tired old tests—and tired old supplements—can’t
When you’re suffering from joint pain, the last thing you want to hear from a doctor is, “The X-rays don’t show anything wrong,” or “the scans are normal.”
Because even if the tests—X-rays, CAT scans, MRIs—show “normal” results, you know you’re in pain. And that’s not normal.
Luckily, doctors in the know can use a common-sense approach to determine how your joints are really doing…without painful and expensive tests that are largely useless anyway. Or even counterproductive, as I’ve cautioned readers in the past. In fact, the approach relies on using one of the five senses to get insight into the joints, like they have been doing with the heart and lungs for centuries.
Doctors can simply listen to your joints to find out whether they’re moving freely. That’s because at the microscopic level, painful joints move like a bow across a violin string, instead of sliding smoothly, without friction. A violin bow causes a series of rapid “sticks and slips”— and thus vibrations—on the string.
That’s what makes the music.
But when your joints make those little sticks and slips, it’s anything but musical. But it does make noise. And with the new testing device, the “surface force apparatus” (SFA), doctors can hear those vibrations.
Instead of just relying on a shadowy picture of what your joints look like, the SFA allows doctors to hear what’s actually happening in your live joints as they move in real time. With an understanding of the condition of your joints—at a microscopic level—you can monitor wear-and-tear, as well as whether your joint supplements are working.
Get help…before it’s too late
It’s important to know what’s really happening in your joints so you can fix them before it’s too late. Without having to stand in the joint- replacement assembly line.
The new SFA device is still under experimental development, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start taking some lessons from it. The developers of this brilliant SFA device are quick to point out that there’s one way to stop this friction in your joints. And that’s by improving the condition of your joint (synovial) fluid. This fluid is critical to preventing and healing damage.
Controlling inflammation in the joints and joint fluid is crucial, since inflammation is both a result of wear-and-tear and a cause of more damage. It creates a vicious cycle that can overcome our innate healing ability. Getting your inflammation in check is the best way to let damaged joints heal at the microscopic level, while the damage can still be undone.
As I’ve discussed before, there are ways to help nourish joint cartilage and underlying bone, and help your body control inflammation. And it’s not with the tired, old joint supplement ingredients that may be worse than worthless. Look for a high-quality joint supplement with proven ingredients such as Boswellia serrata, cayenne, vitamin C, and/or omega-3 fish oil. For more details and recommendations, see the July 2012 and February 2013 issues of Insiders’ Cures.