New clues in treating inflammatory diseases

By Brooke Strickland

In a recent study published by the journal Science, experiments on naked mole-rats showed new clues into treating inflammatory disorders such as arthritis.  These mammals, native to sub-Saharan Africa, have insensitivities to acid-induced pain.

“Exposure to high levels of carbon dioxide in turn would evoke acidosis, but the naked mole-rat has evolved in a way to manage this acid load and to be able to live in acidic environments, which for most other rodents in the world would be uninhabitable,” said neuroscientist Ewan St. John Smith, the lead author of the study.[1]  When humans are exposed to acid, special channels at the tips of sensory neurons are stimulated, which activate signals to the spinal cord.  However, when the naked mole-rats were exposed to these same triggers, their neurons contain proteins with genetic mutations that prevent neurons from giving off signals of pain to the body. 

Smith went on to say, “If a drug could now be developed with acts on these particular proteins on the sensory neurons, you could limit the ability of acid to cause pain in patients with arthritis or other inflammatory disorders.”

If you suffer from arthritis, you’ve likely searched for ways to ease the pain.  We’ve compiled a couple of natural tips for minimizing the pain in your arthritic joints. 

Exercise:  Being active is essential to helping you lose weight (which can also ease arthritis) but keeping physically fit is also important in helping your arthritis pain.  It’s important to integrate aerobic activities such as swimming, biking, and walking to build stronger muscles around the joints that are affected. 

Acupuncture:  This can be a helpful to relieve pain and disability due to arthritis.  

Eat and drink well:  Cut out salty and sugary foods and dairy products, as these things can often inflame joints more.  Add in lots of fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as nuts, legumes, and garlic. In addition, some herbs can help ease arthritis pain.  Drinking a glass of pineapple juice daily can also help, as it contains bromelain which can help relieve arthritis.  [2]