Home Remedies for Arthritis

Try these home remedies for arthritis which include herbs for arthritis to relieve arthritis pain. The information here also includes answers to frequently asked questions such as what is arthritis, what causes arthritis and what are the early symptoms of arthritis.

Arthritis means joint inflammation and is a type of rheumatic disease. The condition is characterized by pain, swelling and stiffness in one or more joints in the body. The joint inflammation can lead to difficulty in moving the joints. Chronic arthritis can lead to joint deformity.

There are many forms and types of arthritis and the most common ones are gout, juvenile arthritis, osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

A typical joint includes bones, cartilage, ligaments, tendon and muscles to bear a person's weight and allow for smooth movements. The bones at the hinge joints such as the shoulders, hips, elbows and knees are not directly joined to each other. A cavity called synovial separates the bones and is filled with synovial fluid to reduce friction between the articular cartilages during movement. The cartilage acts as a cushion for the bones.

The cause of arthritis depends on the type of joint inflammation. Wear and tear of the cartilage which accompanies aging is one of the causes of arthritis. The effect of an infection, metabolic disorder, injury, obesity and heredity are factors that can lead to arthritis.

The common early symptoms of arthritis depend on the form of arthritis. But most often it starts with joint pain, tenderness and warm sensation around the joints and stiffness that progress on any part of the body. If the pain and stiffness is felt on both sides of the body, it is an early symptom of rheumatoid arthritis. A fever may accompany infectious arthritis symptoms such as sharp pain and joint tenderness. In juvenile arthritis, the early symptoms include intermittent fever, rash on the arm or leg and loss of appetite. If you sense any of these symptoms, see a doctor to get a proper diagnosis.

These home remedies for arthritis won't cure the joint inflammation but may help provide arthritis pain relief and prevent further damage to the joints.

Home remedies for arthritis No. 1 - Herbal remedies

1. White willow bark extract contains salicin which produces salicylic acid and is a natural analgesic or pain reliever. A 2-week randomized controlled trial conducted in Germany on 78 patients showed a reduction in arthritis pain by 14 percent.
   
   
   
2. Turmeric contains curcumin which has anti-inflammatory properties and produces and anti-arthritic effect. Researchers at the University of Arizona in Tucson, AZ found that turmeric extract prevented joint destruction due to arthritis by inhibiting a protein that controls inflammatory response. They also noted that turmeric altered genes that are involved in swelling and prevented an increase in the breakdown of bones in the joints. Another report based on a separate research stated that turmeric dietary supplement share the same mechanism of actions as antiarthritic medications.
   
   
   
3. St John's wort is another anti-inflammatory herb that is commonly used in addition to other home remedies for arthritis. The Arthritis Center of Riverside suggests St John's dietary supplement combined with calcium and phosphorus for patients with rheumatic disorders.
   
   
   
4. Applying a poultice or a compress made with stinging nettle may help treat joint pain associated with all forms or arthritis including gout. Some studies indicate that taking stinging nettle supplement also helps provide arthritis relief.
   
   
   
5. Cayenne pepper contains capsaicin and is another natural pain reliever and has anti-inflammatory properties. To use it as one of your home remedies for arthritis, take the dietary supplement as well as apply cayenne tincture or ointment topically on the affected joint. You can use cayenne as a poultice or a compress.
   
   
   
6. Another herbal remedy for arthritis is cat's claw. It has been traditionally used as one of the most popular home remedies for arthritis and specifically to treat osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. The active components may help reduce inflammation and prevent the progression of arthritis.
   
   
   
7. Boswellia is an anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic herb and also an analgesic. Based on a controlled study, boswellia extract has shown effective in the treatment of arthritis.

Other herbs that are used as home remedies for arthritis include borage, devil's claw, evening primrose, licorice root, green tea extract and ginger.

Home remedies for arthritis No. 2 - Diet for arthritis

A new research states that a gluten free vegetarian diet may help improve the symptoms of arthritis. According to the report, a vegan diet is able to boost the natural antibodies to fight compounds in the body are associated with rheumatoid arthritis.

An arthritis diet should include cold water fish such as mackerel, salmon and sardines, flaxseed oil, olive oil and safflower oil. This is because they contain omega-3 fatty acids which have the ability to reduce inflammation. Boron rich foods which are found in fruits, nuts and vegetables may help prevent arthritis.

Experts think that eating yogurt helps because rheumatoid arthritis is linked with a leaky intestine and yogurt may help solve the leaky gut syndrome. Drinking about 3 to 4 cups of green tea daily may also treat the symptoms of arthritis.

Foods to avoid with arthritis include those that contain omega-6 fatty acids such as meat and poultry. This is because omega-6 increases inflammation.

Home remedies for arthritis No. 3 - Arthritis supplements

These supplements for arthritis may also help treat arthritis symptoms and prevent further degeneration.

1. Fish oil from salmon and tuna contains omega-3 fatty acids and has the potential to decrease pain and morning joint stiffness and reduce the use of NSAIDs.
   
   
   
2. ASU or avocado soy unsaponifiables which is a combination of avocado and soybean oil may help lubricate joints, repair articular cartilage and ease arthritis pain.
   
   
   
3. S-Adenosyl methionine or SAM-e supplement has been clinically proven to relieve joint pain and may help repair joint cartilage.
   
   
   
4. Probiotic acidophilus dietary supplement supports the immune system function and may help prevent rheumatoid arthritis which is an autoimmune disease.
   
   
   
5. Green tea extract is the alternative if you don't drink green tea.
   
   
   
6. You can include boron supplement as one of your home remedies for arthritis especially if you aren't eating sufficient amount of fruits, nuts and vegetables.
   
   
   
7. Bovine cartilage supplement comes from cows or bovine. Osteoarthritis sufferers may benefit because bovine cartilage stimulates natural chemicals to rebuild cartilage as well as reduce swelling associated with arthritis.
   
   
   
8. A study found that taking bromelain which is the extract from pineapples helped relieve knee arthritis pain.
   
   
   
9. Chondroitin sulfate may help stop degenerative arthritis by preventing further cartilage damage. Taking the supplement also supports healthy joints and connective tissue. It helps lubricates the joints to ease movements.

Other supplements that you can take as home remedies for arthritis are black currant oil, beta glucan, gamma linolenic acid, glucosamine sulfate, glucosamine chondroitin, kelp, MSM, spirulina, selenium, shark cartilage, potassium and vitamin C.

Home remedies for arthritis No. 4 - Arthritis exercise

It is very important to maintain movements and exercise your joints. You must always start your exercise by warming up and stretching to allow the muscles to become more flexible. The simplest exercise is walking. You can find more information on the types of exercise for arthritis at the Arthritis Foundation website.

Home remedies for arthritis No. 5 - Lose weight

Being overweight increases the risk of osteoarthritis in the hip, knee, ankle and foot joints and also aggravate joint degeneration. Furthermore, obesity may increase the risk of complications during a joint surgery and extend the recovery period after a surgery. The solution is to lose weight.

Here is a list of arthritis pain relief cream that you may want to try out to add to your home remedies for arthritis.

1. Australian Dream Arthritis Cream
   
   This cream provides temporary arthritis pain relief when you apply it on the inflamed area. It works by widening the blood vessels to allow for an increase blood flow to the affected area.
   
   
   
2. Emu Oil
   
   The Australian aborigines have used emu oil to eliminate the pain of inflamed joints before the world heard about it. Two Australian doctors made a thorough study on the anti-arthritic activity of emu oil. The report shows that there was 100% arthritis pain reduction in two weeks of application and 100% reduction in arthritic swelling after in 17 days.
   
   
   
3. Walgreens Arthritis Pain Reliever
   
   You can choose the cream or heat therapy patches to provide pain relief and deep muscle relaxation.
   
   
   
4. Zymosine Arthritis Pain Relief
   
   This product is recommended by a doctor and claims to have triple power formula using natural sources to relieve arthritis, joint and muscle pain.

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