[hazel smith]

hazel smith  asked the Naked Scientists:
   
Would you kindly advise if there is any proof that copper bracelets help with the arthritic pain following a wrist fracture.

Hoping to hear from you.   Thank you for your help.
Regards,

Hazel Smith

What do you think?

[JimBob]

None as far as I know - and I have had arthritis for 43 years.

[Don_1]

None as far as I know - and I have had arthritis for 43 years.

But do you wear a copper bracelet?

I rather suspect that claims supporting the relief of arthritis, rheumatism and whatever by copper or magnetic or some such other bracelets are made by people who are in some way connected to the trade in ............ copper and magnetic bracelets. I should think the only effect they have is the unsightly marks they can leave on your wrist.

If you want to give it a try, how about the cheap & easy option. Strip the insulating plastic off an old piece of electric wire and wrap it around your wrist. If you conceive some benefit, buy yourself a pretty bracelet, if not you haven't wasted your money by lining some charlatan's pocket with it.

NB. When wearing the copper wire, don't plug it into the mains electricity supply!

[dentstudent]

Here is a podcast that discusses the evidence within the realm of "Magic Jewelry"  - Skeptoid #84, by Brian Dunning

[tangoblue]

None as far as I know - and I have had arthritis for 43 years.

ref: copper bracelet for arthritis, you have had arthritis for 43 years, what type of arthritis do you have? the copper bracelet works for osteoarthritis and not rheumatoid, i am an arthritis sufferer but do not use the copper bracelet as the drugs are enough but have tried them. so don't knock it till u tried it.

[_Stefan_]

"so don't knock it till u tried it."

Unfortunately anecdote is not sufficient evidence for anything.

[stereologist]

My mother had severe arthritis. She found comfort in all sorts of things from bracelets to herbs to necklaces and all sorts of things. She felt better every time she made a switch to a new thing. She made it through life with lots of pain and the placebo effect.

[thedoc]

Listen to the answer to this question on our podcast.

[rosy]

There was a piece of research reported a while back (sorry, I've forgotten all the details, google might help if you're interested) that showed that women who'd worn a (gold) wedding band for many years had less arthritis in the joint nearest to the band.. but only in that joint. So short of wearing gold bands on every joint for decades not much preventative/theraputic help. Interesting, though...

[morkelkey]

Hi dear friends,

I rather suspect that claims supporting the relief of arthritis, rheumatism and whatever by copper or magnetic or some such other bracelets are made by people.

I should think the only effect they have is the unsightly marks they can leave on your wrist.

[Don_1]

Is there an echo around here? With added spam!

[Chemistry4me]

I told you we should be worried!

[vickywatts]

The addition of magnets to the bracelet is supposed to help the body's circulation. Again these magnets must touch your skin and the bracelets must be changed every 2-3 years to be effective, as the copper in the bracelet is absorbed by your body.There’s no evidence that wearing copper arthritis bracelets are harmful unless you have an allergy to copper. the verdict is still out as to whether copper arthritis bracelets have any real effect on arthritis symptoms, wearing one is unlikely to be harmful. Just don’t use it as a substitute for convention medical treatment.

[Fozzie]

The addition of magnets to the bracelet is supposed to help the body's circulation.

"Supposed to"? I thought this was a science forum. The word supposed is meaningless in this context.

Again these magnets must touch your skin

Why? What evidence do you have for this? What research has been carried out, what papers have been published and checked by a peer review process?

and the bracelets must be changed every 2-3 years to be effective, as the copper in the bracelet is absorbed by your body.

All of it? So after 2-3 years the bracelet disappears!

the verdict is still out as to whether copper arthritis bracelets have any real effect on arthritis symptoms

No it's not. They don't work. Period.

[Geezer]

It is a science forum, but this topic is in the "That CAN'T be true!" section.

[RD]

Maybe a more expensive metal is required ...

Gold rings can prevent arthritis

HEALTH

Jeremy Laurance

Wednesday, 27 August 1997


Wearing gold rings can prevent arthritis, researchers have found. After noticing that a 62-year-old woman who had had rheumatoid arthritis for 47 years was significantly less affected in the finger on which she wore her wedding ring, researchers decided to x-ray the ring fingers of 30 ring wearers and 25 non-ring wearers who had had the disease for at least two years.

The results, published in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, showed that the knuckle joint of the ring fingers of those who wore rings all or most of the time were up to three times less badly eroded than the corresponding joint in the other hand. No such difference was found in the non-ring wearers.

The authors, from the City Hospital, Birmingham, suggest that gold from the rings could pass through the skin "downstream" to the nearby knuckle joint in sufficient quantities to delay erosion. Gold, they note, has been used to treat rheumatic disease since the turn of the century.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/gold-rings-can-prevent-arthritis-1247456.html

NB: this could be a mechanical effect rather than a chemical one: the ring reducing the forces experienced by the finger joint and consequently reducing the erosion it suffers ...

 [ Invalid Attachment ]
www.silversplints.com

Or the ring could be reducing the circulation somewhat when fingers are inflamed and swollen, thus reducing the delivery of additional destructive inflammatory agents "downstream", (tourniquet-ish).

[Karen W.]

That is interesting and  something new to my reading.. I had never heard about the gold..LOL Copper bracelets have been around for years.. my Aunt Swore by them I find no relief whatsoever wearing them in my arthritic hands. Although I must say my hand with my ring is good particularly my wedding ring finger.. so I find this interesting.

[Bill S]

No it's not. They don't work. Period.

Anecdotal "evidence" is not really of much scientific value, but nor is dogma.

In my mid-40s I developed quite severe osteoarthritis, various prescribed medications had no effect.  My wife bought me a copper bracelet; I agreed to try it for 3 months, not expecting any benefit.  By the end of the 3 months I was pain free.  A doctor with whom I was working at the time told me that I was almost certainly "in remission".  I am now 70, and still "in remission".  Of course, this proves nothing, but my advice to anyone in the position I was in would be: never mind the prophets of gloom, "give it a go", make up your own mind if it works for you.

[CliffordK]

Your body would likely absorb small amounts of copper from the bracelet...  does your arm turn green?  Some people have nickel allergies to nickel alloys so metals in jewelery will affect your body.

But, for many things, some people will go into spontaneous remission....  and then one has to try to figure out if it was a therapy or not that caused it.  There are many causes of joint pain.  Was it a single joint?  All Joints?  Gout?

Here is an article review that discusses a randomized trial disproving magnetic therapy and copper therapy.  It doesn't support any efficacy claims.  I believe trial periods were for 4 weeks in each case or trial condition.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091016094037.htm

However, if the copper bracelet has been helping the arthritis for 30 years, by all means keep it up.

[JMorales07]

I bought a copper bracelet from an older genteleman at a craft sale. I am 57, have arthritis in my shoulders, hands, hip, both knees and ankles. I was skepticle but the pain was so bad in the mornings I would try anything. I wire the bracelet for 3 weeks and was pain free to the point that I just took it off because I figured I didn't need it (duh).  Within 1 week the pain came back little by little and have been right where I started out. I just put it back on. It takes a couple of weeks to start working and I will never take it off again, only to shower.