Deirdre (CT) on 01/15/2021
As mentioned in my first post on the subject, besides a possible karate training injury, I had also purchased a Berkey Stainless Steel Water Filtration canister and started drinking the amazingly purified water right around the same time the trigger and arthritis finger symptoms appeared out of the blue.
Well, when healing was still moving very slowly a month after the cortisone shot, I decided to stop drinking the filtered water from my Berkey just to rule it out. Well guess what. Within a few days, all arthritis and trigger finger symptoms in both hands COMPLETELY disappeared!
People often mention to avoid distilled water because it can deplete critical nutrients from your body. However they rarely mention the same about purified water. Just wanted to put it out there that if you have sudden onset of arthritis in your hands (or elsewhere for that matter) or trigger finger, you might want to change your drinking water source and see if that helps.
It was an easy fix, but took a few months to figure out!
I hope this information helps someone else.
Replied by Madelyn from Idaho on 01/15/2021
This is fascinating Deirdre.What type of water did you start drinking instead?
I’ve been drinking Berkey filtered tap water for years. Might be a good idea to change things up for a while!
Replied by Tanya from Bc on 08/05/2021
Okay that's fascinating because I also have a stainless steel Berkey with the black Berkey filters and my issue started around the same time. I'm going to try drinking the municipal water and see if it makes a difference.Replied by Deirdre from Connecticut on 08/05/2021
Hi Tanya,Yes, various water filtration devices can certainly pull essential vitamins and minerals from the body, so we all need to be watchful of that.
Please look into the research for high dose Vitamin B-6 for trigger finger. It can take up to 6 months for it to work depending on how bad your fingers are when you start, but there is research dating back decades showing that carpal tunnel and trigger finger are caused by b-6 deficiency caused by hormonal changes, especially in women. There's a great book on the subject called Vitamin B-6 Therapy by John Ellis, MD published in 1999 that anyone with these issues should read.
I had to go in for a second cortisone shot a couple of weeks ago in just one thumb, which got triggered (!) again from lifting my heavy elderly dog... The shot takes a couple of weeks to kick in, but helps immensely. I am just finishing up my first month of B-6 therapy, but hoping it will do the trick. My other thumb is fine now, no more symptoms.
Wishing you fast healing!
Replied by Adrian from Oregon on 09/21/2022
Correlation does not imply causation. I highly recommend distilled water. Please do not go back to your municipal supply. I've provided a few links that will hopefully clarify some of the misnomers behind distilled water and reasons why people should be drinking it.Tap water analysis- Three reason why I drink distilled water https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7d2Q4ONZJM
Distilled water - What doctors and people say https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27Xqfz5wZY8&t=696s
"Fluoride: Poison on tap" https://www.vissestormdds.com/news/44-fluoride-poison-on-tap-full-documentary
People should get their minerals from food, not water.
Replied by Marshagail from Southeast usa on 04/23/2024
It's the aluminum in the B system! Just read about it & was v surprised. I use only distilled water & add in the minerals - several mineral supplements available but I just shake some Himalayan salt into the gallon jugs when I open them - sure makes my nails grow! Sooooo much healthier since I stopped drinking faucet (fluoride) water!