Like many older people, I suffer from arthritis. On any given day I have back pain, neck pain, hip pain, and knee pain. Every morning it seems as though every muscle and joint in my body is stiff and painful. It sometimes takes me more than an hour after waking to be able to move somewhat normally. When I sit for even a short time the stiffness and pain returns and I have to move about again to ease the stiffness. When I walk for too long my back and hips begin to ache and I have to sit down for a rest. When the weather is hot and humid or rainy I feel as though I got hit by a truck. My whole body hurts. Since I also have chronic sinusitis the weather makes my head explode.
I used to take acetaminophen, but that does little or nothing to ease the pain. I began to take turmeric supplements and that helps minimally. The only thing that helped was ibuprofen, but I was a little leery of taking it too often. With this summer's hot and humid weather I really suffered from the aches and pains of my arthritis. I felt much better when I went to the gym, which has excellent air circulation and air conditioning. But as soon as I left the gym the pain and stiffness returned. On some sweltering and humid days, I couldn't leave my air-conditioned house.
Last year I was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation and because of the medications I was prescribed, I could not take NSAIDs for my pain. I could only take acetaminophen, which for me was useless. The pain was so bad a few times that I took ibuprofen anyways to relieve the pain, hoping I wouldn't get a reaction with my prescription drugs.
I began to extensively search the internet for supplements that would help with my pain and stiffness. It seemed as though every time I found one that might work I discovered that it couldn't be taken in combination with the prescribed drugs I was taking or they could cause a rise in blood pressure. I'm already taking meds for high blood pressure, COPD/asthma, and BPH, so I had to be very careful choosing the right supplements.
As I was searching the Arthritis Foundation for help I discovered a supplement called Boswellia, which they recommend for osteoarthritis. I searched the internet looking for information on Boswellia, in particular side effects and contraindications. After searching for a few days I could not find anything that would discourage me from trying the supplement. I searched for the best brands and found that NOW Boswellia is quite highly rated and available on Amazon for a reasonable price. The price in the above link is $26, but I paid $15.90 on Amazon.
A couple of days after I ordered the supplement from Amazon I received it and immediately took my first dose. The recommended dose is 1 to 2 capsules per day. I started out with just one capsule and then decided on the second day to take 2 capsules. Most articles I read said that it would take about 7 days, and sometimes less, to notice a difference. On the 3rd day, I noticed a significant difference in my pain and stiffness, especially on waking in the morning.
My research found that taking Boswellia with turmeric, which I already take, enhances the pain-relieving effects. I feel much better, even on hot, humid, and rainy days and will definitely continue taking this supplement. I would highly recommend Boswellia to anyone suffering from the pain and stiffness of arthritis. There are numerous brands available, but you don't have to choose the brand I use. Choose the one that is right for you. Hopefully, you too will feel better!
