One in five Dutch people over the age of twenty suffers from a rheumatic disease, while one in ten have chronic complaints. As many as 2.3 million people in the Netherlands suffer from some form of rheumatism. Rheumatism is the collective name for many joint diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, which are the two most common forms. In rheumatoid arthritis, the pain is caused by inflammation of the joints (inflammatory arthritis), while osteoarthritis is caused by wear of the joints (wear and tear arthritis).

A number of things are advised for people who have rheumatic complaints

• Keep moving and do daily exercises to keep the joints supple and strengthen them.
• Eat healthy food, in particular plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables.
• Taking nutritional supplements containing glucosamine and chondroitin can relieve pain and slow the progress of arthritis.
• Physiotherapy and other therapies where joints are "loosened" can alleviate the symptoms

Experience shows that people with rheumatism have little or no rheumatic complaints during a stay in a hot country. Fortunately, you can find heat closer to home for example in the sauna or under a solarium. This certainly applies to osteoarthritis, involving pain and movement restrictions in the joints and tense and aching muscles. These complaints are worsened by cold, moisture and wind. Warmth brings relief and relaxation to the joints and muscles. But beware: during acute or severe inflammation as seen in rheumatoid arthritis or gout, warmth aggravates the inflammation. However, if the arthritis has calmed, heat is again good for the joints, muscles and total body.

By heating cold feet with Skunkx the rest of the body will as a result, also feel warm and rheumatic symptoms can reduce. The Skunkx massage helps to relax tense and aching muscles in the feet and lower legs which contributes to a further alleviation of symptoms.