Study: Mineral-Rich Mud Compresses Can Alleviate Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms

Mineral-rich mud compresses can help relieve the pain and reduce joint swelling and tenderness of rheumatoid arthritis, according to a study reported in the November 14 on-line issue of Rheumatology International.

Researchers at Ben Gurion University of the Negev in Israel evaluated the effectiveness of mud compresses applied at home in the hands of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

In a study reported last year, the same team of researchers found that natural mud compresses could temporarily relieve the pain of knee osteoarthritis. Mud-compress therapy involves the application of heated mud packs to the entire body or to localized areas such as joints and muscles to provide temporary relief of arthritis pain.

The latest study involved 45 rheumatoid arthritis patients. Of those, 22 patients were treated with true mineral-rich mud compresses and 23 were treated with mud compresses that were minerally depleted. The latter served as a control group. The compresses were applied in the patients' homes five times a week during a three-week period.

The treatment group experienced significant reductions in the number of swollen and tender joints and in pain severity. The control group experienced no improvement in the number of swollen and tender joints, but they did experience a significant reduction in joint pain severity.

"Treatment with mud compresses relieves pain affecting the hands and reduces the number of swollen and tender joints in the hands of patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis," concluded the researchers. "This treatment can augment conventional medical therapy in these patients."

Other sources: Rheumatology International