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Can metal jewelry really ease arthritis?

Categories: Celebs & Entertainment, Reviews & Products, Alternative & Green Health

My great grandmother swore by them. Gleaming copper bangles adorned with turquoise or curvy designs etched into the metal often clattered on her wrist, reaching up toward her elbow. They decorated her wrinkled and freckled skin and distracted somewhat from her enlarged knuckles.

But she wasn't wearing them to complement her eclectic style. She suffered from arthritis in her hands and believed the metal jewelry eased the pain. I don't know that she ever opted for any other form of alternative therapies for pain management or popped pills for it. My Grandma Hall, as everyone referred to her, never was big on consuming much besides coffee and leftover chicken pilfered from a buffet restaurant and carried home in her Ziploc-lined purse.

Whether they really worked or generated a powerful placebo effect remains debatable. One might be better off improving nutrition and keeping up with an exercise regimen. Beyond that, there's a more modern version of the copper bangle for those whose style might be a bit more edgy. Or gender neutral.

Athletes who wear titanium around their neck(click thumbnails to view gallery)

Paula RadcliffeErnie ElsJosh BeckettHeath BellFreddy Garcia



Professional athletes are increasingly sporting titanium necklaces due to a belief in various benefits, including arthritis relief. Some are skeptical. Anyone can buy one, although I have yet to see them in public. Whether metal jewelry is the answer for arthritis or not, the nice thing is that it certainly can't hurt the same way a prescription drug can. Something to consider.

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