Relieve your rheumatism

July 28, 2025 Krystine Schweizer

Summary of the article

This term covers more than 200 diseases that affect the musculoskeletal system: the bones, but also the tendons, muscles or connective tissues linked to the joints.

What is bone?

Bone is composed of organic and mineral matter.

Organic materials

Bone cells (osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and osteocytes) and the materials produced by osteoblasts: proteoglycans, glycoproteins, and collagen. These molecules enable bone to withstand pressure and torsion.
Minerals

Inorganic molecules represent two-thirds of bone mass. These are mineral salts such as calcium phosphates.

Synovial joint

It is the most mobile joint in the body. Like any machine, for the cogs to function without wear, it needs protection:

Articular cartilage

Composed of chondrocytes and an extracellular matrix, this tissue is soft and elastic. It covers the ends of bones and serves as a buffer.

Neither vascularized nor innervated, cartilage is devoid of lymphatic fluid. For cells to regenerate, metabolic exchanges (nutrient intake and waste export) depend on the action of a system that resembles a pump.

During compression, waste is expelled through the joint space.
When the cells relax, there is re-expansion, which allows for hydration and absorption of nutrients necessary for cell vitality and function.

Capsule

A fibrous sleeve, it unites the bones and contains the synovial membrane.

Synovial fluid

It is the lubricant of our joint.

Acid-base balance

The acid-base balance depends on our diet and lifestyle: poor food quality or bad eating habits, stress, sleep problems, excesses of all kinds. If our pH level decreases (acidosis), the body will draw on reserves: bones, cartilage, etc. This imbalance over several years causes demineralization which can generate different kinds of bone pathologies.

Inflammatory rheumatism

All forms of arthritis, the most well-known being rheumatoid arthritis and certain rheumatisms such as psoriatic arthritis.

In most cases, it is hereditary. However, it can also result from trauma (accident, repetitive manual work, intensive sport, poor posture, etc.) or from a disruption of the immune system (infections, cancers, etc.).

Rheumatoid arthritis

Inflammatory rheumatism

This is one of the most common inflammatory rheumatic diseases. It mainly attacks the hands and feet. This degenerative disease progresses in flare-ups and ends up deforming or even destroying the affected joints. Patients have an abnormal level of T lymphocytes in the joints.

This form of lymphocyte (CD4 T) is part of the adaptive immune process and only proliferates if it identifies certain pathogenic antigens. It then triggers a process of destruction on the cartilage, the joint matrix and the bone itself.

Evolution

It develops in bursts that can vary in intensity and duration. Without treatment, it damages joints, can deform them, and cause serious disabilities.

Symptoms

Pain at rest
Swelling
Morning stiffness
Fatigue
Joint deformation

Degenerative rheumatism

This category includes all forms of osteoarthritis, diseases related to joint wear and tear. Mainly due to age, they can appear early in cases of autoimmune diseases, excess weight, a sedentary lifestyle, or, conversely, overuse of the joints.

Osteoarthritis

Degenerative rheumatism

By the time symptoms appear, it is, in some ways, already too late. The deterioration of the cartilage likely began several years earlier. Not all osteoarthritis develops at the same rate: while in some cases the condition worsens rapidly, the condition of other patients remains fairly stable.

As it deteriorates, the joint is no longer protected. This deterioration is often accompanied by synovitis. The synovial membrane thickens and gradually destroys tissues, ligaments, and tendons.

Evolution

The cartilage matrix breaks and the collagen network is damaged
Chondrocytes respond by producing matrix and collagen in abundance. Cell clumps form, creating chaos, and the collagen network is destabilized. This stage lasts for several years.
Cartilage tissue diminishes and disappears.

Symptoms

Pain and stiffness upon waking
Cracking
Loss of mobility

Bone and cartilage diseases

They include different pathologies of bones and cartilage: osteomalacia, bone cancer, bone dystrophies and the most common, osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis

Bone and cartilage disease

During growth, more bone cells develop than die. Bone mass and density peak around age 30. Afterward, the process slows, with bone loss occurring at about 1% per year.

In its primary form, it is genetic or due to aging. In its secondary form, it can be the result of other pathologies or certain medications. This disease does not cause any basic pain and is therefore often diagnosed late.

Evolution

It weakens the bones: it reduces the mass and quality of the bones which can lead to fractures, particularly in the neck of the femur or the vertebrae.

Symptoms

Back pain
Hunched back (vertebral compression)
Decrease in size of more than 4cm

Trace elements

Raw material for bone cells

Trace elements are the elements that activate our metabolisms and allow them to function properly. It is therefore a natural solution that helps our body in its fight against the degeneration process.

Better mobility

This combination of trace elements acts synergistically and is therefore ideal for deacidifying the terrain (anti-inflammatory). Furthermore, magnesium and zinc also play a role in the ossification process.

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Manganese

It is involved in the synthesis of the main components of cartilage. There is a direct relationship between manganese deficiency and osteoporosis. Like copper, manganese, through its action, fights free radicals responsible for inflammation. It also has a relaxing property.
Cobalt

Combined with manganese, it is essential for regulating vascular spasmodic manifestations so that metabolic exchanges are optimized. It has muscle relaxant properties.
Zinc

It catalyzes carbonic anhydrase and phosphatases active for osteogenesis and multiplication of bone fibroblasts.
Copper

It acts on the oxygenation of cells by participating in iron metabolism, essential for preventing tissue degeneration. It fights free radicals. It promotes the regeneration of collagen and elastin, elements of connective tissue responsible for the strength of cartilage, bones, hair and blood vessels.
Magnesium

It is involved in the development of cartilage and bone metabolism. These tissues retain twice as much magnesium as soft tissues, and in the latter, it is significantly more exchangeable than that of bone tissue. Like manganese, it has muscle relaxant properties.
Potassium

It activates bone biosynthesis using an enzyme produced from glucose by another enzyme, catalyzed by potassium and magnesium. In oligotherapy, its prescription is essential in cases of high sedimentation rate during inflammation. Indirectly, it is a balancer of smooth muscle, cardiac and vascular cells and promotes good circulation.
Lithium

The interest in its use lies in its medicinal property as a muscle relaxant.

Strengthened bones

This combination of trace elements acts in synergy and is therefore ideal for supporting the body in its fight against the process of osteoarticular degeneration.

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Fluorine

The fluoride content of bones (1000 to 5000 ppm) is higher than that of teeth (1000 ppm). The rate of incorporation of fluoride into bone decreases with age, in parallel with the degeneration of bone tissue. It catalyzes the synthesis of collagen, which explains its indication for osteoligamentous hyperlaxity, rickets and scoliosis in childhood, as well as for the consolidation of fractures.
Iodine

It balances thyroid functions. Thanks to the calcitonin produced by this gland, iodine has a vital effect on calcification, bone growth, and callus formation in the event of a fracture. By stimulating the cardiovascular system, it promotes metabolic exchanges and indirectly acts on degenerative rheumatism.
Calcium

As a building block, 99% of calcium is found in bones in the form of calcium phosphate. The remaining 1% plays a vital role in blood clotting, heart function, and nerve and muscle excitability.
Phosphorus

It is one of the main components of bones and plays a fundamental role in ossification. It is essential for the entire body as a source of energy.
Sulfur

It is an important constituent of connective tissues, particularly cartilage. The benefits of sulfur for rheumatism have long been known in thermalism. It neutralizes many toxins in the intestine.
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Marine proteins

Derived from the recovery of cartilage from North Sea fish caught for human consumption, Protagel is made up of more than 80% marine proteins, as well as a range of minerals. Its composition has been designed to resemble that of human connective tissue.
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Daily prevention

Sport

Choose an activity suited to your condition: yoga, stretching, walking
Food
- Choose vegetables and fruits rich in fiber
- Avoid refined foods like bread, white rice, white flour which are inflammatory factors.
Diet

Being overweight increases the pressure on your joints. Losing a few pounds can relieve pressure on them and significantly slow the degeneration of your cartilage.
Massage

Massage can soothe pain, tone peripheral muscles and correct poor posture.