Hildreth: Arthritis has an effect on the Unity of Inner Man

Editor’s note: Previous stories in this series appeared on Sept. 27, Oct. 7, Oct. 25 and Nov. 8.

The last of this series is on aging degenerative problems secondary to the contribution of an altered or deficient hormonal and autonomic nervous system function.

Arthritis is an inflammatory condition of the synovial tissue and/or articular joint surfaces.

Multiple classifications of arthritis are noted depending upon acute or chronic and the most significant underlying cause.

Chronic or acute infections, any place in the body, can result in arthritic flare-ups.

This type of origin will most likely reflect as an acute joint destruction with a significant amount of inflammation, swelling and pain.

The most common type of arthritis that we are dealing with is the chronic ongoing pain and stiffness with less joint destruction. Depletion of protein from the articular areas reduces normal tissue resistance.

Tissue deprived of its natural immunity becomes sensitive to the effects of environmental toxins.

Environmentally and internally chronic infections involving teeth, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, ongoing intestinal infections or dysfunction, oxygen insufficiency and external barometric pressure changes are among the most common stressors.

Most aging ongoing arthritic problems are accompanied by anemia, low thyroid function, hypoglycemia, diabetes, or low blood and tissue protein levels. Low tissue protein not only affects natural immunity but also tissue repair.

Pituitary, adrenal and thyroid imbalance or deficiencies influence oxygen supply to the joints and albumin and globulin to the joint that is required for repair and inflammation control.

Failure of a good supply of mineral corticoids from the adrenals results in electrolyte imbalance and fluid retention in joint areas.

What it really boils down to for us suffering from chronic arthritic conditions, osteo in nature, is to check the blood chemistry for low protein levels in the joints, a hypoglycemic state; low protein and hypoglycemia can be due to a pancreatic dysfunction resulting in poor digestive enzyme output and a hyper-insulin output.

It is very important to correct a low metabolic rate by eliminating a hypothyroid condition which is quite common in many of us as we age.

Therapy must include consideration of good gonad function which is a balance of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone, and that is whether it is in the female or the male, either one.

The cells of our body will not utilize albumin from the blood stream without the governing presence of sufficient gonad hormones.

The maintenance of good bone structure also depends upon the presence of sufficient gonad hormones.

When all of the natural enzymes and hormones of the body are balanced and functioning as they all should, I feel it is very appropriate to use some of our medical crutches such as the anti-inflammatory medications when an active inflammatory process is still present.

I want to conclude this challenging series of discussions with a few overall comments.

I realize only too well, after 50+ years of helping patients deal with the ongoing chronic, sometimes very painful degenerative processes, that this can be a great challenge for patients and doctors alike.

Medicine is based upon a philosophy in which the doctor must respect and appreciate the fact that he is dealing with a patient that has a disease as well as a disease that has the patient.

Secondly, that medicine is also based on a science that includes the chemical, the physical and biological sciences related to the maintenance of health and the prevention, cure and alleviation of disease.

I have noticed that we have touched on most of these sciences at one time or another over the past few weeks in dealing with an understanding of the inner unity of man.

Lastly, and possibly the most important, we as physicians must acquire through education and practice, the art of applying the philosophy and the sciences in not only helping people get over an illness, but through education helping them remain well.

Dr. DeWall J. Hildreth can be reached at 625-1101 or cnhcgv@yahoo.com. He practices with Continental Natural Health Clinic in Green Valley.