The Best Natural Remedies For PMR-Polymyalgia Rheumatica

Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR)

Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) is a condition that causes pain and stiffness in the muscles around the neck, shoulders, upper arms, hips, buttocks, or thighs. The term literally means “Rheumatic type of pain in many muscles.” Polymyalgia Rheumatica is a medical condition which is potentially treatable.

If it is diagnosed correctly and lifestyle changes are made or the proper steps are taken to tackle it, it is a manageable condition and you can live a happy and normal life even if you have it.

My struggle dealing with an autoimmune disease, Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR).

A bit about me

I’m a married 57-year-old male, with four children, one grandchild and two more on the way.  I would have never believe this would be me if you had asked me in my younger days.  I have an electronics engineering background and I’ve been self-employed since the early 90’s.  I've always been a hands
on sort of person.   From an early age, I was always taking stuff apart and putting it back together again.  My first job was when I was only 14 years old.  I was working as an attendant at a gas station, or as called back in the day a "service" station, pumping gas and doing any small repairs the owner would let me do.

Some History

Moving on… this isn’t a biography!  I’ve had several jobs in-between, including working for UPS for over 10 years, five of those years were as a delivery driver and in some ways I feel this is what shaped me to become self-employed.  Being a delivery driver, I was on the road all day, on my own, with no one looking over my shoulder... It was during this time, I met my bride of 33 years.  We had only been married three months, when I was injured in an auto accident and was unable to return to UPS.  This was sort of the beginning of my journey into self-employment.

My Passion 

I’m also a guitarist and have played for about as long as I’ve been married and have been playing in my church for close to 15 years now, I am a Christ-follower and have been for some time now and looking back (hindsight is 20-20) I can see how God has orchestrated events in my life to bring me to where I’m at today.  I do believe God has a plan and I trust and put my hope in Him.  I also believe He’ll give us wisdom, and all we have to do is ask!

How It All Started

Moving on… I’m sure you don’t want my life story.  In August of the last year 2016, I was working on a major job in upstate New York, which was nothing unusual, lots of heavy equipment being installed,

it took about two weeks of work and usually I’m sore for a few days after it's all done.  I exercise and work out on a regular basis and hard work is nothing new, however, the pain in my wrist and hand wasn’t going away.  My first thought was, I might be overdoing it at the gym, so I took some time off, but the pain seemed to be getting worse... I thought, I just must need more rest.

As the weeks continued, the pain was moving into my elbow and shoulder.  I should have gone to a doctor then, but I hadn’t seen one in about 10 years or more, so I didn’t have a regular doctor.  The pain eventually moved into both hands and elbows and shoulders. Sleeping was impossible and every morning I would soak in a hot tub just to be able to move.  One of the things that were in the back of my mind was Parkinson's, my mother had died from the disease and I figured this must be the on-set of that terrible disease.

The pain moved into my lower back and hips, I wasn't getting any sleep and was just barely able to use my hands much, even though, I continued to play guitar and try to work, it was a real struggle, I finally got in to see a doctor... (I’m sorry to say Obama Care Sucks) just to get an appointment, what a joke! (Sorry this isn’t about politics)

He prescribed some blood work a few days later, and a few days later sent me to a Rheumatologist, this was in October of 2016.  The day I got in to see the doctor, if it had been any longer I would have needed a wheelchair, the pain in my hips was killing me…walking was out of the question.  He also ran more blood work and prescribed prednisone.  The original blood work had some markers for RA but he didn’t think it was RA.  I didn’t have any swelling in my joints or other symptoms of RA.  He said that if the prednisone (Satan’s Tic-Tac’s) helped, then it was more likely that it wasn’t RA, and to come back in a few weeks.

After taking my first dose of prednisone, within 24 hours, I felt 98% better….

I returned for my follow up visit and after a review of the new blood work, the diagnosis was Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR).  Poly what?

This is where my journey really begins.

As I have stated above, I’m a hands-on sort of guy, I like to know how things work and take control of my own destiny (hence the self-employed stuff).

Once I had the diagnosis, I could start my own research and being that God a has blessed me with a wife who believes in more healthy alternative treatments than just swallowing whatever pill they give you, I’ve learned to do my own research!

Beginning with Prednisone (Satan’s Tic-Tac’s), this stuff scares the heck out of me.  I wish I could say I was off of it but not so far if I want to be able to continue working, it's the only thing that works… that being said, I am on a very low dose, thanks to things like eating an anti-inflammatory diet, plus juicing every day and by adding turmeric, black seed oil, Moringa, ginger, and Kambucha tea (I brew my own, more on this later).

I truly believe that diet is a pivotal role in healing my body from this disease.  I started my own garden and growing foods and herbs to help heal and nourish the body.  I’m blessed to live in Florida where I’m able to grow my own turmeric, ginger and Moringa tree. All of these have had an immediate effect on my inflammation and energy levels.

I hope in the next few months to start to taper off the Prednisone and remove it from my system… I’m sure my wife needs a break from the crazy old man side effects.... they don’t just effect you but everyone around you!

I've also discovered, the healing property of Kambucha tea, they sell this at the local farmers market

here in Sarasota, for $ 4.00 a bottle, a bit pricey.  It comes in a few different flavors and one has ginger, it really has an effect, but at 4 bucks a bottle, it was a bit much to have every day... By chance one day, while picking up a bottle before hitting the gym, I ran into a couple from our church and they noticed I was buying Kambucha. They mentioned they enjoyed Kambucha too, but they brewed their own and asked if I wanted a starter batch with the SCOBY?  Sure, I said, beats paying 4 bucks a bottle!  They gave me a recipe that had ginger and turmeric.  Since then, I’ve perfected my own recipe that adds some cinnamon and chia seeds, another good source of healing properties.

I'm also a true believer in black seed oil, it has an effect in my overall well being, I can tell the days I don't take it that I'm missing something.  Usually on the weekends when I have some downtime, I'll only take the medication, to give my body a break from the other things I'm taking.  I can feel the difference in my head and body, but I'm afraid my body is going to get used to everything and quit working.

Please Share

So this is where I'm at today and thought I share it with the world or the 2 people that read this!  Not sure if anybody will read this, but if you do and you're struggling with PMR, I hope this will help you on your journey, and if you have any questions or would like to share something that has helped you in any way please leave a comment.

Below is some information that may help you out along the way!  Thanks for taking the time to read.

Turmeric

is considered one of nature's most powerful healers.  For more than 5,000 years, Turmeric has been an important part of traditional Chinese and India's medicine.  Turmeric is known to harbor anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, stomach-soothing, and liver and heart-protecting effects.
Turmeric has captured the attention of many scientists and more studies have shown its health benefits.  Researchers are learning the effects of turmeric in human diseases, and the findings of turmeric for disease prevention and/or treatment are very encouraging.

Turmeric's Amazing Health Benefits

Turmeric is a perennial plant of the ginger family and is native to tropical South Asia. Turmeric powder is from the dried underground stems and its key active ingredient is curcumin, which is what gives turmeric its therapeutic effects, pungent flavor, and yellow color.  Besides curcumin, there are other beneficial substances in turmeric.
Turmeric is commonly used as a spice in Indian curries and other South East Asian and Middle Eastern cuisines.  The ingredient is what makes American mustard bright yellow.  Turmeric is also used as a dye, in cosmetics and skincare.


Turmeric is not commonly allergenic and is generally considered a safe herb.  It has been used in large quantities as a condiment without adverse reactions.
However, for people with any health conditions, it is important to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any supplements.  The following are some contraindications and side effects of turmeric:
For prevention purposes, the dosage is 500 mg of turmeric a day.  If you are looking to use turmeric as a treatment for a disease, please consult a healthcare professional for the proper dosage.

Benefits of Ginger

Traditionally, in Asian culture, ginger has been used for medicinal purposes.  Ginger is grown as a root and is a flexible ingredient that can be consumed in drinks (tea, beer, ale) or in cooking.  It can be used to make foods spicy and even as a food preservative.  For over 2000 years, Chinese medicine has recommended the use of ginger to help cure and prevent several health problems.  It is known to promote energy circulation in the body and increase our body’s metabolic rate.

Anti-Inflammatory Effects

Ginger contains very potent anti-inflammatory compounds called gingerols. These substances are

believed to explain why so many people with osteoarthritis or Rheumatoid Arthritis experience reductions in their pain levels and improvements in their mobility when they consume ginger regularly.  In two clinical studies involving patients who responded to conventional drugs and those who didn't, physicians found that 75% of arthritis patients and 100% of patients with muscular discomfort experienced relief of pain and/or swelling.

Moringa Can Lower Inflammation 

Moringa might be helpful in treating acute inflammatory conditions due to its powerful anti-inflammatory properties. A study found that Moringa not only reduced inflammation markers in mice but also helped reduce obesity, insulin, and cholesterol.  The very makeup of Moringa, most identifiable is the presence of isothiocyanates, which helps combat these issues without much more effort than simply incorporating it into your diet. (more about the Moringa Tree later)

Black Seed Oil 

The uniqueness of the seeds from southwest Asia Nigella Sativa is first realized by the many names that it is referred to:
Black cumin
Black caraway
Black sesame
Onion seed
Roman coriander

“Black seed” is preferred because it helps to distinguish it from caraway and cumin.  Some health

experts claim that it's a true panacea; able to help cure everything from allergies to hypertension.  Quite possibly, the most promising research has been done connecting Nigella Sativa to multi-drug resistant bacteria.  This is a really big deal because these so-called “superbugs” are becoming a significant public health risk.

Kombucha

Kombucha is a traditional fermented drink made of black tea and sugar.  It contains a variety of vitamins, minerals, and enzymes and has been prized by traditional cultures for its health-promoting properties.

Kombucha is naturally high in antioxidants and supportive of the immune system.  Again, there is no magic pill or silver bullet when it comes to immune function, but it is good to support the body in its natural immune process.

It contains a compound called D-saccharic acid-1,4-lactone (or DSL for short) that has amazing antioxidant properties.  This compound is not present in unfermented teas (though many teas are high in other antioxidants). DSL has been specifically identified as beneficial for cellular detoxification.

Everyday Roots Book