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Getting a Grip on
Pain: Documenting the Facts
on Emu Oil
and Arthritis
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"The dramatic results I
have observed convinced me that this oil can
make an impact on those suffering from
arthritis" -- Dr. Thorn
Leahey | | American emu producers may
soon have some solid proof by which to support
some very old beliefs concerning emu oil. A
clinical study, to be conducted by Dr. Thorn
Leahey of the Arthritis Clinic in Ardmore,
Oklahoma, is currently being planned to
determine what effect emu oil has on hands
plagued by arthritis.
A
preliminary study has already produced some
positive indications that the oil may
substantially reduce the pain caused by
arthritis.
"We took a random
sampling of 20 volunteers for a double blind,
placebo-controlled study using emu oil and
mineral oil," said Dr. Leahey. "The only
qualifying parameter was that the volunteer
could not have ever used emu oil before the
test. Volunteers also remained on the same
arthritis medicine they were currently taking,"
he explained.
"In this 2
week study, 7 of the 12 emu oil users reported a
significant reduction in pain, morning stiffness
and swelling. Only 1 of the 8 mineral oil users
(placebo) related the same results," reported
Dr. Leahey. Encouraged by these preliminary
findings, Dr. Leahey felt the oil merited
additional investigation through a comprehensive
clinical study that could be documented and
published in scientific and trade journals.
The proposed study, which
will extend over a three month period, will
involve 500 participants. "The main qualifying
factor will be that the participant must have
had arthritis diagnosed in their hands," he
explained. Although the extensiveness of the
arthritis is not a factor that will disqualify a
volunteer, Dr. Leahey maintains a personal
theory that the oil may have its greatest impact
on early stages of arthritis pain. "I don't know
if any topical aid would be beneficial for
chronic or burnout arthritis, where the
cartilage has been virtually destroyed. I
suspect the oil reduces inflammation around and
within joints, and assists in allowing a greater
freedom of movement," he reasoned.
"This study will not
only provide for a subjective determination of
the effect of the oil." said Dr. Leahey, "but it
will also include direct measurements. By using
a dynamometer, we can confirm changes in the
participant's gripping strength. Also, by direct
examination of the hands, it is very easy
to test the sensitivity and number of tender and
swollen joints," he revealed.
Volunteers that are accepted and have been off
arthritis medicine for one month will receive an
initial examination measuring the gripping
strength in the hands. The subject may be asked
at the beginning of the study to assign a number
corresponding to the pain level being
experienced in their joints on a scale of 1 to
5. After the hands are examined, the subject
will be instructed on how to properly apply the
oil onto the hands, tentatively 3 times a day
for 3 months. The subject's hands will be
reexamined and evaluated at the end of each 30
day interval.
"When I was
initially approached by patients advising me
that they were experiencing relief from emu oil,
I did a literature search on the topic of emu
oil and medical applications. I quickly learned
that there is a big void in this area and that
there were no published articles in scientific
or medical journals," Dr. Leahey revealed.
Personal observation of the
effectiveness of the emu oil on his own patients
was the motivating factor behind Dr. Leahey's
proposal for a clinical study. 'The dramatic
results I have observed convinced me that this
oil can make an impact on those suffering from
arthritis," he stated. 'The advent of this oil
has simply changed my practice," he asserted.
Currently, the proposal and
budget are being written up for the project. Dr.
Leahey is hopeful that the project may begin as
early as late July or early August. He
noted that local physicians will be made aware
of the study and will be asked to assist
in securing volunteers for the study. Also,
local newspapers and other media surrounding
Ardmore will carry advertisements soliciting
volunteers.
"The research is
imperative," stated Dr. Leahey. The initial
results and potential are so exciting. In the
last few weeks, I've begun recommending the use
of emu oil as part of a regular treatment
program for patients," he revealed. "I've
observed some very surprising results. The oil
is very economical compared to regular arthritis
medicines, and appears to have fewer side
effects," he continued. "It's very encouraging
to find something that may help relieve the
suffering associated with arthritis, and it's
very exciting to be a part of a project that may
impact the quality of life for so many people."
Exerpt from July 1995 issue of Emu
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