Natural Remedies for Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD)

Can Celtic salt be used?

As the latest addition to my experimentation, I decided to put (less) hyaluronic acid and sea salt into Ted's 1 liter borax remedy and drink the whole thing in one day. I lowered the HA dosage from my original post above. I am now using only 120 mg of HA instead of the higher dosage mentioned in my first post (thanks, Art) and only 1/8 teaspoon of pink salt. (Note:

This new recipe is a slightly gelatinous liquid (due to the hyaluronic acid) and tastes quite good, thanks to the pink salt. I am two days in on this new mixture and already feel an improvement in my finger joints, which are always very stiff from arthritis lately. My trigger finger, which is back since over a month ago when the 2nd cortisone shot wore off, is slightly improved.

[Note: I have not been drinking borax for a long time and stopped the topical DMSO/borax remedy to test HA and sea salt a few weeks ago.]

Here is the mixture I keep in the fridge and drink 1/4 at a time. Surprisingly, it tastes pretty good, especially cold, thanks to the pink salt!

I use a 1-quart mason jar, which you can find on Amazon. Many grocery stores carry them as they are used for canning.

1 quart of Distilled or Purified Water - Fill to the top of mason jar (within 1/2 inch)

Add:
1/8 teaspoon 20 Mule Team Borax (men should use 1/4 teaspoon, per Ted)
120 mg of Hyaluronic Acid.. If you have Jarrow hyaluronic acid capsules, this amounts to 4 capsules.
1/8 teaspoon of Pink Himalayan Salt.

Stir well. Mason jar lids are not always secure, so be careful if you try to shake it.

Equipment Note:

Because I already have the equipment, I use a 1000 ml glass beaker and a magnetic stirrer with a medium size magnet to mix the ingredients since I want to drink 1/4 of the mixture immediately after making it up in the morning. However, even with the stirrer, the hyaluronic acid tends to clump and needs time in the fridge. The salt doesn't all dissolve so I stir it before pouring 1/4 into a glass.

Side Effects

day 1: slight headache about 1 hour after starting the mixture. It lasted most of the day.
No headache on day 2.
No blood pressure increase from the pink salt.
Night of day 2 - severe stomach upset from too much salt in the mixture - ergo I lowered the dosage to 1/8th

I will report back in another week or two.

Well, after learning about this remedy over 15 years ago, I'm finally experimenting with Ted's famous DDD (degenerative disc disease) remedy of 500 mg hyaluronic acid and 1.5 teaspoons of sea salt in 500 ml of distilled water. I did this after testing a few weeks on JUST hyaluronic supplement capsules. I am finding Ted's solution more effective than taking two 60 mg hyaluronic capsules twice a day. The addition of sea salt really makes a difference.

Ted's remedy can seem a bit complicated from some of the posts and instructions on Earth Clinic's degenerative disc disease section, but really it is very simple. I bought HA in bulk from Amazon, which is much more cost-effective than buying 100 HA capsules.

I have been testing 500mg, 1000mg, and 1500mg of hyaluronic acid plus 1.5 teaspoons of pink salt in 500 ml of water each time I make the mixture to see if there is any difference in the higher dosing. Ted mentioned sea salt, but I have been using Himalayan pink salt. If anyone has input on a better salt to use thank pink, please advise.

Per Ted, you don't want to put so much HA in 500 ml distilled/purified water that it turns into a gel. The higher dose HA that I have been experimenting with does get gelatinous once it's been in the fridge for a few hours, so I simply top off my 8 oz glass with water. At the lower dose HA, I took 1/8 cup straight with no dilution 3x/day.

The hyaluronic acid power from bulk always clumps when I pour it into the water, regardless of the water's temperature (hot or cold refrigerated water). However, it slowly dissolves in the fridge. Sometimes it can take 24 hours for the clumps to dissolve. The instructions from Ted and others have you shaking the bottle every few hours in the fridge. But really, you only need to stir it right before you pour it each time to get the salt from the bottom into the solution.

Dosage:

1/8 cup of my refrigerated HA/Sea Salt solution into an 8 oz cup, top off with water, and drink it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, then afternoon and evening.

As Ted mentioned, I've found this solution helps slightly with stiff joints from arthritis, but fabulously with disc issues. My back feels much looser now. And of course nothing as good as HA for plumping up the skin. Incredible supplement that way. Thumbs up. I'm on my second week of the solution and will report more later.

I gave Ted's formula, listed below, to a friend who was bed ridden due to back degenerative discs, using hyaluronic acid, liquid. After using 3 days he was in TOTAL RELIEF. Went three weeks before using again. Took two days of formula to get relief.......this time for two months. Now he uses it every 3 months for TOTAL RELIEF.

Formula:

• 16 oz. of natural (pure water like distilled water); must be cold, refrigerated.
• 1/2 teaspoon of Hyaluronic acid, liquid, in 16 oz container of cold "natural" water.
• Next add 1 1/2 teaspoon full of Mediterranean Sea Salt into the 16 oz. bottle of water also.
• Shake it well.

Drink it (3) times a day.........meaning 1/3 of the bottle, then another 1/3, then the last 1/3 (bottle will be empty then).

I read a lot of comments by people that really miss the mark. Read what I have said carefully and hope you will have similiar results.........do it exactly as I have written it. It worked for my friend.

Remember NATURAL WATER LIKE DISTILLED, AND A HIGH QUALITY OF SEA SALT LIKE MEDITERRANEAN SEA SALT.

I use this salt daily -- 1 1/2 teaspoons -- on food. My blood pressure is 100/62 and I am 73 years of age. This salt is NOT refined, meaning it has 80 plus trace minerals that are GOOD FOR your body. Hope this helps.

Way back when Ted first started discussing oral hyaluronic acid (HA) on EC for degenerative disc disease, available studies of that time suggested that HA was only effective if it was injected at the joint. In more recent years, studies are now showing that oral HA can indeed be useful and effective, but at a higher dose than the injections generally deliver.

Here is a typical abstract from 2012 when most studies only used injections to good benefit:

J Med Assoc Thai. 2012 Oct;95 Suppl 10:S92-7.

Prospective randomized trial comparing the efficacy of single 6-ml injection of hylan G-F 20 and hyaluronic acid for primary knee arthritis: a preliminary study.

Khanasuk Y1, Dechmaneenin T, Tanavalee A.

Author information

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To compare the efficacy of single 6-ml intraarticular injection between hylan G-F 20 and hyaluronic acid (HA) for knee osteoarthritis.

MATERIAL AND METHOD:

Thirty-two patients with primary knee arthritis, who were randomly received single intraarticular injection of 6-ml hylan G-F 20 (Synvisc) or HA (Hyalgan), were prospectively evaluated for clinical outcomes at a minimum 26-week follow-up. The parameters, including visual analog scale (VAS) during walking, the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis (WOMAC) index and Short-Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaires, were evaluated at pre-injection, then at 1 week, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks and 26 weeks, post-injection.

RESULTS:

There were 15 patients in both groups who were available for final follow-up with no statistical differences in demographic data, VAS during walking, WOMAC score and SF-36 score at pre-injection. There was no adverse event related to viscosupplementation using in is better than of both agents. At 26-week follow-up, patients in both groups had significantly improved VAS during walking (p < 0.01), WOMAC score (p < 0.01) and SF-36 (p < 0.05) with no statistical differences between groups. However the cost of hylan G-F 20 was much more expensive than that of HA (534 USD vs. 252 USD).

CONCLUSION:

A single intraarticular injection of both hylan G-F 20 and HA for primary knee arthritis had no adverse event related to 6-ml volume. At 26-week follow-up of the present preliminary study, both groups had similarly improved clinical outcomes post-injection. Further study in larger population is required. As the cost of hylan G-F 20 was 2 times higher than HA, a single 6-ml intraarticular injection of HA (Hyalgan) provided better cost-effectiveness than hylan G-F 20 (Synvisc).

PMID: 23451445

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This more recent abstract shows that a strong enough dose of oral HA is beneficial also:

Musculoskelet Surg. 2016 Sep 28. [Epub ahead of print]

Clinical comparison of oral administration and viscosupplementation of hyaluronic acid (HA) in early knee osteoarthritis.

Ricci M1, Micheloni GM2, Berti M1, Perusi F3, Sambugaro E1, Vecchini E1, Magnan B1.

Author information

Abstract

PURPOSE:

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a progressive, chronic and degenerative joint disease characterized by a loss of articular cartilage. Treatment of OA is largely palliative based on nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, opioids and injections of steroids. Regarding conservative treatment, intra-articular injections of hyaluronic acid (HA) can play a role in early symptomatic knee OA.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Between August 2015 and September 2015, sixty patients (32 males and 28 females) between 40 and 70 years old were randomly allocated into two groups: Half were treated with three weekly intra-articular injections of hyaluronic acid 1.6 % (group A), while the others were treated with Syalox 300 Plus® (hyaluronic acid 300 mg + Boswellia serrata extract 100 mg) 1 tab/die for 20 days and afterward Syalox 150® (hyaluronic acid 150 mg) 1 tab/die for other 20 days (group B). All patients were evaluated clinically with American Knee Society Score (AKSS) and visual analogue scale (VAS) for the pain before the treatment and after 3 months.

RESULTS:

AKSS of the patients in both groups was significantly increased by the treatment, and VAS score was significantly reduced. In both groups, two subgroups were created with patients older than 60 years and patients younger than 60 years. Better results are reported in younger patients of group A and older subjects in group B.

CONCLUSIONS:

Despite several limitations, the results of the study have shown that HA injection and oral administration may have beneficial therapeutic effects on patients with early osteoarthritis. Different outcomes in younger and older subject suggested a combined therapy first with local infiltrations and then with oral composition.

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So the take away from this is that, Ted was ahead of his time and was spot on regarding oral HA and that it works! Thank you, Ted!!!

Art

I've read several posts about Ted's cure on EC about this and I've noticed a lot of confusion about weights and measures.

I tried it with the salt but it was too salty, so on my next batch just used HA and water:

• 500ml of cold water
• 1/8th tsp Hyaluronic acid
• Don't fret too much about the exact measurement, I know my 1/8th tsp was probably sometimes nearer a 1/4!
• Put your cold water in a jug, don't just tip all of the HA in at once otherwise you'll end up with a blob of jelly lurking at the bottom of your jug!
• If you can, sprinkle the HA with one hand and at the same time stir with the other hand. You'll still get some blobs, just try and break them up on the side of the jug.
• After a good stir, pour into a bottle and put the cap on tight, give the bottle a really, really good shake, then put into the fridge.
• Give another good shake after an hour or so, then leave overnight, all your blobs should have dissolved and your mixture will be ready to use.

The amount I take each day is: 2 fluid ounces/4 tablespoons in the morning and the same again at night. One 500ml batch lasts me four days.

For the first two weeks I used High Molecular Weight HA and had some success but then two weeks ago I changed to Low Molecular Weight HA and I've found this to work much better.

Both lots of HA were bought from ebay uk. I will say which companies in a further post if it's allowed.

I've had chronic Degenerative Disc Disease and three herniated discs for twelve years and have been in pain every day, just getting out of bed hurt, I couldn't even lean forward to get my socks on! Sneezing would have me dropping to the floor in pain, it was even painful to sneeze sitting down!

I'm sure anyone with this knows what I'm talking about!

Anyway, after two weeks on the LMWHA, In the mornings when I'm usually at my most painful and stiff, I'm just swinging my legs out of bed and standing straight up without all the pain and grunting and groaning. My pelvis and hips feel freer when I walk, instead of feeling all tight and tense. I have a bit of a swing again!

This is just after one month, I'm really hoping the effects with be cumulative and that I continue to improve even more.

Oh, just before I wrote this post I had a sneezing fit, it didn't hurt once!

This hasn't been a complete cure, after all, it's only been a month. I still have a some pain and stiffness but I feel so much better than I have done for the last twelve years!

HTH

Dear Ron,

Hyaluronic acid puts the fluid back in joints and spine. I have found that Collagen is the other remedy that heals and strengthens the bone. I make our version of bulletproof coffee to alleviate pain. I have found it to be another piece of the puzzle. I take 1 cup of brewed coffee add 1/2 tsp mct oil 1/2 tsp grassfed butter 1 full scoop about 2 tbsp of collagen 1 and 3 blend 15 seconds pour into cup and drink. You can add magnesium oil 6 drops and your liquid HA to this also. Pain is pretty much gone and quickly. This also improves digestion somewhat.

Ted recommends 4 hourly doses of the lysine remedy to kill any virus that lurks on nerve paths and spine so I use it too. In a 1 liter bottle I add spring water 1/2 tsp lysine 1/2 tsp sodium ascorbate [vit c reacted with baking soda] 6 to 8 drops methylene blue and 1/4 tsp l threonine. but I multiply the doses to make 4 total doses I mark my bottle with 4 tape lines and take 1 an hour in the am. I do this for three days. I drink my coffee 2 x a day. No back or neck problems any longer.

Janet

Hello!

I would first like to express my joy in having come across your site! It has been working miracles on many of my ailments. I'm 25, recently diagnosed with phase 1 degenerative disc disease. I found out about Ted's mixture of hyaluronic acid and sea salt and immediately got on it. I've been taking it for 3 days and the pain in my spine has substantially subsidized. I read that it takes 2 weeks to fully restore the disk cartilage.

I just want to say thank you SO so much to Ted for posting this remedy and to Lisa from Lafeyette for sharing her story and giving additional instructions regarding the remedy.

I have been suffering from back pain since I was 17 yrs. Old. I'm 29 now. I've always had my back "go out" on me and be laid up in bed for a few weeks and then be able to start hobbling around again. Living in constant pain or fear of pain is a horrible exsistance though. This past Sept. (2011) my back finally gave up on me. I lost the use of both legs and was in the most excruicating pain of my entire life. I was unable to care for my 2yr. Old and was on horrible prescription drugs for months. I was constantly in a fog of pain and exhaustion (brought on by the drugs). I tried physical therapy and that helped but I had to stay on the meds.

I had an MRI done and my doctor told me I have severe degeneration in my discs, spinal arthritis all along my spine, and my L4 & L5 are bulging. The rest of my lumbar discs are also trying to bulge and have little to no fluid left to cushion them. I was so devastated.

After several months of trying to do things the "medical" way I decided to search for a natural remedy on my own. I can't tell you how elated I am that I found this site and the recipe for Ted's hyaluronic acid. I decided to give it a try.

I have been using this remedy now for maybe 2 1/2 weeks and I am almost 100% pain free. I went off my meds on day two so I could feel how much the hyaluronic was working, except that it relieved almost all of my pain after only 3 doses!!! It's so incredible to feel this pain free. My entire body feels so much better. I started taking a vegetarian glucosamine and MSM supplement as well after about a week and a half and I've only seen improvement. I am still taking the hyaluronic 3 times a day because my spine has been under so much stress for so many years and I just feel better when I take it 3 times.

There is so much more that I want to say and share about where this site and this remedy has led me; how I can feel so much about my body that I never knew I was missing. I feel incredible now that I'm giving myself what I need to not just survive but thrive! I don't want to make this post too long that no one will read it though. :P

Overall I just can't thank you enough Ted, Earth Clinc and this community. The combination of hyaluronic acid and physical therapy is helping me to live life again, pain free. I've started to lose weight as well now that my body isn't so clouded with prescription medications. I know that will only help my spine to heal as well. Thank you, thank you, from the bottom of my heart thank you!

Ashley

I tried Ted's hyaluronic acid and sea salt remedy for degenerative disc disease and it was very helpful and reasonably priced, however I got tired of mixing it regularly and switched to a hyaluronic acid supplement that contains the following:

Serving Size: 1 vcap
Servings per Container: 120
Sodium (from Sodium Hyaluronate) 10mg
Hyaluronic Acid (from Sodium Hyaluronate) - 100mg
L-Proline - 100mg
Alpha Lipoic Acid -50mg
Grape Seed Extract (Vitis vinifera) (Standardized to min. 90% Total Polyphenols) - 25mg

I started out at three of these per day and have reduced to two per day with results that seem to be as good as, or possibly better than Ted's remedy mix. It is hard to say for certain if it is better than Ted's remedy because, had I stayed on Ted's remedy, I may have continued to improve also.

In any case, I am glad I tried Ted's remedy because it convinced me that HA works. I was already taking a supplement with HA in it, but it was too small of a dose to be of much use. The sea salt in Ted's remedy is also beneficial for other areas of health.

Art

A million thank yous Ted for the Degenerative Disc remedy recipe with Hyaluronic acid, sea salt and water. Today was the first day in about a month that I was able to sneeze and not feel pain in my lower back. I became determined to find something that could help me overcome extreme pain in my lower back and referred pain in my left thigh that would often throb, after I had a bit of a breakdown when I came to grips that my few options included pain killers for the rest of my life, back surgery and/or the possibility of walking with a cane. I recently turned 31 and I was devastated.

Before I tried your remedy, I could not walk at full stride - I could only walk slowly and every step was painfull. I couldn't sit for a lengthy period of time before my back would begin to hurt. I could not stand for a long time without my left leg feeling like it was about to become disjointed at my waist. Reaching was impossible. I could not manage a full night's sleep and most nights I had to sleep on the floor because my bed, although quite firm, couldn't support my condition well.

I found your recipe and made my first batch August 25th. Within the first few days, I could feel that the pain was slightly less, only barely noticeable. As the days passed, I could feel that the pain was still slightly decreasing. Because I had lived with the pain for some time, I didn't know what kind of benchmark I could use to really give a green light that it was working. Today is the seventh day that I've been taking the remedy - mind you, although I'd prefer to take it as recommended, I have not been able to take it 3 times a day and a few days, I only took it once. Instead of having to brace myself for the pain I knew I would feel, I was able to sneeze without discomfort today. I am highly encouraged by my results and look forward to a full recovery. To think, a week ago, I was in tears because I was looking at a grim future. Now, I'm looking forward to being able to exercise and stretch again. I can already walk with a full stride and I can reach without straining too much. I still feel some pain when I've stressed my back or leg too far but I know it will soon subside for good. Thank you very much for sharing this remedy. I can't begin to tell you how much it means to me.

... The formula won't work if it is gel. It must be very watery or it doesn't get absorbed. The gels just get stuck in the intestines and become an intestinal lubricant instead.

Source: https://ted.earthclinic.com/supplements/hyaluronic-acid3.html

Quick update; my hubby has been taking Ted's recipe for the HA, 500 mg. Powder in 16 oz. Water, with 9 grams sea salt (approx 1 1/2 teas. Salt).

His back is improving in a shocking manner (to him, at least), he is able to move like he hasn't moved in years! He used to be in karate as a teen, and can kick his leg straight up in front of him, (Whoo! I had to duck, didn't see THAT one coming! ), and his knee is steadily on the mend. That's all in less than 2 weeks.

Put your water in the fridge for about 4 hours, get it to 39 degrees or so. Add powder and salt and shake. Powder won't dissolve right away. Put back in fridge. Shake every 2-4 hours. In about 12-18 hours, the powder will be all dissolved, and water will have a slight thickening to it. This gives approx 10 doses. At dose 7 or so, around 2 1/2 days, start another bottle in the above manner so you won't miss a dose. I figured out that this method gives you roughly 150 mg. HA per day. After this 3 week regimen, use 12 oz water (open new 16.9 oz water bottle, pour out little over 1/4 cup, this leaves you 12 oz). Add 3000 mg. Ascorbic acid (vit c powder) BEFORE refrigerating. Shake well. Refrigerate 4 hours till 39 degrees or so. Put in approx 2 grams HA (2000 mg. Powder), and close lid. Shake, same as method described above. In 12-18 hours, it should be ready. This formula is much thicker. 1 Tablespoon dose will be 75 mg. Do morning & nite, on empty tummy. Also pour tiny bit in your hand, to rub on your face, neck and hands. AWESOME serum for the skin. DO NOT put your hands or mouth on this bottle, to keep from contaminating ingredients.

Side note: Vit C in body acts with any iron running around in there to break down the HA, which is not good. Take a quercetin tablet (bioflavinoid) to prevent this, and get OPTIMAL results from your HA. Sorry for long post, I've done so much research on this I talk about HA in my sleep. Good luck. I am not a doctor or nutritionist, just an interested by-stander. Do your own research and see your physician before taking anyone's advice!

Ted's Hyaluronic Acid Formula for DDD:

Didn't Ted say 9 grams? I used 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, and 10 powder filled capsules of HA, 50 mg each, to total 500 mg., in 16 oz. Of COLD refrigerated water, in water bottle. I poured those 2 items in, mixed it up, then put back in fridge for 2-4 hours, depending on what I was doing, I would go into kitchen and shake it quickly, and shove it back in fridge (as per Purebulk's instructions). After doing this for 12-18 hours, (first bottle took 12 hours, second took 18 hours, ) I measured 8 caps with the cap that was on the water bottle, came up to roughly a shot glass, I quess. My hubby takes it 3 times a day, one first thing in morning, one a few hours after lunch, or when he gets home from work around 4, then one right before bed. I cannot stress enough how important it is to get half your weight in ounces of water per day. If you weigh 100 lbs., drink 50 oz water. HA goes hand in hand with water. Without water, it cant do it's job!

My husband (after 5 days) says that his "sticking points" in his back when he bends over, the 2 catches he has had for years, are gone! His knee feels awesome, after also bothering him for years. He is a body builder, and he is able to lift without worrying about the pain.

I have also been on it. My face skin looks prettier, (awesome! ) and I feel like a MILLION BUCKS. I can't explain what that means exactly, except it's nice! I'm 46, fairly good shape, exercise moderately, try to eat right. I am finally getting the water I am supposed to take. Note: Put a squirt of lemon or lime in EACH of your glasses of water for alkalizing purposes - SO important. Skip the baking soda if you have hbp. Switch to Sea salt only. Take an iodine supplement each day, even if it's drops of liquid kelp from health food store. Avoid aspartame like the plague. It literally makes me stupid, I can't think, raging headaches until I detox from it for a couple weeks. Be proactive. It's your body. Put into it what you want to get out of it. God Bless. Lisa

Confirming about taking HA every day until the cartilage is cured.

The dose is about 8 caps three times a day empty stomach. It takes about 2 weeks to completely remove all back pain and the joint affected area in extremities may take a little longer.

Thank you, Sam