6 Natural Treatments for Scleroderma
Although there is no one treatment plan for every patient with scleroderma, certain natural remedies can help to minimize the damage to specific affected organs.
1. Physical Therapy
Physical therapy can help patients who are suffering from stiff and painful joints. Regular physical therapy can help to prevent the loss of joint motion, which occurs when blood flow decreases and your skin becomes taut. Exercises that increase range of motion include stretching the fingers, hands, wrists and shoulders. Strengthening the fingers and hands is also important when working with scleroderma patients. Exercises like squeezing putty or rice improve grip strength.
Physical therapy will also help a patient with scleroderma to perform everyday activities
Splints are also used to prevent the loss of range of motion and contractures. This is when the muscles, tendons or tissue harden and lead to rigid or deformed joints.
2. Reduce Pain with Exercise
If you are able to engage in physical activity, it can help to reduce pain by relieving muscle tension, improving circulation, and stretching and strengthening your joints. Try low-impact exercises like swimming, water aerobics, walking, cycling, using an elliptical, and yoga, if appropriate.
3. Moisturize the Skin
Patients with scleroderma suffer from dry, stiff and thick skin, so making sure to keep the skin moist can be helpful. Moisturize your entire body as soon as you get out of the bath of shower. Natural moisturizers like coconut oil, olive oil or almond oil are some great options. As a cooling agent, essential oils with menthol can help to reduce inflammation, reduce itchiness and relieve pain.
It’s important to avoid harsh soaps, laundry detergent and household cleaners that contain dangerous chemicals, which can make symptoms worse. Also, taking very hot showers or baths can dry the skin and so can being out in the sun for too long. In the winter months, using a humidifier can also be helpful.
4. Remove Triggers and Eat Healing Foods
Research shows that about 30 percent of patients with scleroderma are at risk of malnutrition and in 5–10 percent of patients, gastrointestinal disorders are the leading cause of death. As part of the multidisciplinary treatment plan, patients should include nutritional intervention, which improves gastrointestinal symptoms and quality of life.
Because scleroderma is an autoimmune disease, you want to avoid any food triggers that are causing an immune response and inflammation. Certain foods can particularly aggravate the gastrointestinal tract, which scleroderma may affect. This includes refined carbohydrates, artificial ingredients, spicy foods, alcohol and caffeine.
Some of the best foods that you can eat to help heal your body and reduce inflammation include:
fresh vegetables, like asparagus, beets, broccoli, carrots, celery, cucumbers, leafy greens, mushrooms and squash
berries, like blueberries, blackberries, goji berries, raspberries and strawberries
wild-caught fish, including salmon, halibut and mackerel (avoid shellfish)
organic, grass-fed meat, such as beef, bison, chicken, turkey, lamb and eggs
organic, raw dairy, like A2 cow’s milk, goat milk, goat cheese and kefir
healthy fats, like avocados, coconut oil, coconut milk, olive oil and almond oil
nuts and seeds, including almonds, pecans, pistachios, walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, nut butter and seed butter
spices and herbs, like basil, cilantro, cinnamon, cumin, garlic, ginger, oregano, rosemary and turmeric
5. Take (or Eat) Probiotics
Probiotics may help to relieve scleroderma symptoms because they help repair your gut and tissues. More and more research is showing that leaky gut may provide a unifying theory for most autoimmune conditions. The microbiome plays a major role in keeping the immune system in check so that it doesn’t produce too many antibodies. When we have good bacteria in the gut, they help to restore a balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory immune cells.
6. Seek Counseling or Support
There’s plenty of research that indicates the many problems faced by people living with scleroderma. Patients commonly suffer from psychological distress, including anxiety.
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