Beat Pain… the natural way (Heena Patel)

Traditional medicine doesn't always have the answers. But that doesn't mean you have to grin and bear it. Six readers reveal the alternative treatments they've tried in search of a pain-free life

“Ayurvedic medicine has eased my rheumatoid arthritis”

Heena Patel, 34, is a homemaker from Oadby in the Midlands. She is married with two children.
The problem: "I used to work as a care assistant and years of lifting people took their toll. I developed back pain, then aching in the joints of my fingers and wrists. By March, this year, my hands would clench up like claws at night and the pain was so intense I couldn't sleep.
My GP gave me codeine, but that didn't help."
Heena's verdict: "I'm always open to natural treatments and was optimistic about what ayurveda could do for me. Practitioner Dr Kanu Patel was very thorough. First, he looked at my diet and banned sour foods like tomatoes which build up acid in the stomach, dairy foods which increase toxins in the body and sugar. I was told to drink lots of water to flush out my system. It's hard, but I have stuck to it. I also take a plant-based medicine each day and massage a herbal oil into my hands. Having been to him once a month for about five months, I can now pick things up more easily and my hands don't seize up at night. There are no guarantees that my symptoms won't worsen, but I believe alternative medicine can give results."
The conventional treatment: It's not known what triggers the inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis, but the result is that tissues in the joints are attacked and destroyed. This causes damage to the cartilage and sometimes even the bone itself. The treatment is often painkillers such as codeine, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and corticosteroids.
How ayurveda works: This ancient Indian system of medicine is based on a belief that your body is made up of five elements: earth, ether, fire, water and air. These combine to form three internal forces or doshas, known as Pitta (the metabolic force in the stomach), Kapha (the fluid force in the lungs) and Vata (the driving force in the colon). It's said that everyone has one or two dominant doshas, which determine your constitution, and when they're unbalanced, it leads to ill health. Practitioners use herbal medicines, diet and massage to help rebalance them.
Also good for: Skin and digestive problems, asthma, hay fever, stress, anxiety and depression.