Natural Remedies for Rheumatoid Arthritis

How to treat rheumatoid arthritis? This list of natural remedies for rheumatoid arthritis which includes the use of herbs for rheumatoid arthritis isn't a cure for rheumatoid arthritis. These suggestions for rheumatoid arthritis treatment may help provide rheumatoid arthritis pain relief and slow down or stop it from progressing.

What is rheumatoid arthritis? What are the common rheumatoid arthritis symptoms? What causes rheumatoid arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis or RA is an autoimmune disorder and is a chronic type of arthritis. It normally affects your small joints in the hands especially the wrist and fingers. The inflammation and swelling are painful and as the disorder progresses, your bones will erode and cause joint deformity.

Rheumatoid arthritis early symptoms include joint pain, joint stiffness and swelling in your ankles, hands, feet and wrists on both sides on your body. Other parts of your body such as the elbows, hips, jaws, knees, neck and shoulders may also ache and swell. You may experience fatigue, fever, loss of appetite and sleeping problems. These rheumatoid symptoms come and go.

As it progresses and when rheumatoid flares show up again, other symptoms may include morning stiffness that can last for many hours, puffy hands and joints that become tender to the touch. Another symptom that will show up is rheumatoid nodules which are small nodules on or near the joints.

The actual causes of rheumatoid arthritis are still not known. But rheumatoid arthritis begins when the joint lining tissue called synovium becomes inflamed. Inflammation is normal as a sign given by your immune system to tell that your body has been infected by foreign substances. But in the case of rheumatoid arthritis, the immune system attacks the joints instead.

If action isn't taken to stop the attack, it will progress by damaging the cartilage, tissues and bones within the joints. Finally the joints will lose its shape, alignment and functions. When your joints fail to function, you will have difficulty to carry out your normal activities such as dressing, standing and walking.

Natural remedies for rheumatoid arthritis No. 1 - Rheumatoid arthritis herbal remedy

1. The inner root bark of cat's claw or una de gato plant contains anti-inflammatory and immune boosting properties. You may want to try cat's claw extract as one of the natural remedies for rheumatoid arthritis as it may help reduce joint pains and swellings.
   
   
   
2. Evening primrose oil contains gamma linoleic acid or GLA. The reason why evening primrose is used as one of the natural remedies for rheumatoid arthritis is because GLA has the ability to prevent the creation of compounds that are responsible for inflammations.
   
   
   
3. Borage oil which is extracted from the borage seeds also contains GLA or gamma linoleic acid. Separate studies on the benefits of borage oil indicate that borage extract may help reduce swollen and tender joints including juvenile rheumatoid arthritis or JRA.
   
   
   
4. Boswellia serrata extract contains boswellic acid which has shown to produce anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritic and analgesic activities. It is one of the popular herbs used to treat inflammations and provide joint nourishment.
   
   
   
5. Curcumin is one of the most active constituents of turmeric. Tumeric has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and has been used for centuries in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicines to treat inflammations, fungal and bacterial infections. Taking turmeric dietary supplement may help as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.
   
   
   
6. White willow bark is used as one of the natural remedies for rheumatoid because it is a natural analgesic or painkiller. It functions just like aspirin does but it also has other benefits including fighting inflammations and it doesn't irritate the stomach lining.

Burdock, devil's claw, feverfew and ginger are also natural anti-inflammatory herbs. Black current seed oil contains GLA. Cayenne pepper is also a natural pain reliever. There are some evidences that thunder god vine herb which has been used in Chinese medicine as one of the natural remedies for rheumatoid arthritis may help relieve pain and swelling of the joints when taken orally and applied topically.

Natural remedies for rheumatoid arthritis No. 2 - Diet for rheumatoid arthritis

There isn't a specific rheumatoid arthritis diet. But certain foods can trigger rheumatoid arthritis pain or worsen the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. One of the ways to find out is to take note of the foods that you eat by having a food diary. Including certain foods in your diet may help treat or prevent the symptoms. If you lack some of the nutrients from your diet, you can take dietary supplements instead.

1. Omega-3 fatty acids are unsaturated essential fatty acids which include linolenic acid or ALA, eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA and docosahexaenoic acid or DHA. You can only get them from the foods that you eat because the human body cannot produce them. Omega-3 fatty acids will benefit people who have the early symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis because they help prevent inflammation. Some studies showed that taking omega-3 may help reduce morning joint stiffness.
   
   

   Some examples of foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids are cold water fish such as cod, mackerel, salmon and tuna, dark green leafy vegetables such as broccoli and spinach and seeds like hemp, flex and walnuts. Fish oil is a good supplement if you don't eat fish or foods that contain omega-3.

   
   
   
2. Increase your consumption of fruits, grains, legumes and vegetables because they contain phytonutrients which are helpful in boosting your immune system.
   
   
   
3. A vegan diet may help if eating meat triggers the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.
   
   
   
4. Foods high in beta carotene such as carrot, chili pepper, lettuce, kale, sweet potato and spinach will also benefit because they contain antioxidants which help the body fight diseases and infections.
   
   
   
5. Eating foods that are high in vitamin B6, C and E are also helpful. Vitamin B6 helps in energy production and keeping the immune system healthy. Some examples of foods high in vitamin B6 are poultry, tuna and wheat bran. Vitamin C is beneficial because of its antioxidant properties and may prevent many conditions and age related illness. Most fruits and vegetables contain vitamin C. Besides protecting the heart, vitamin E provides powerful support for the immune system. Green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, avocado and egg yolk are some of the natural sources.
   
   
   
6. Dietary supplements that you can take as natural remedies for rheumatoid arthritis are methyl sulfonyl methane or MSM, probiotics, magnesium, selenium, S-adenosylmethionine or sam-e and zinc.

Natural remedies for rheumatoid arthritis No. 3 - Exercise

Even though your joints hurt and ache, you must do regular gentle exercises to strengthen the muscles around your joints. Walking is the easiest form of aerobic exercise. Exercise can make you feel better because of the release of endorphin and it helps reduce stress. Another safe form of gentle exercise is tai chi.

Natural remedies for rheumatoid arthritis No. 4 - Use heat or cold compress

If you are suffering from rheumatoid arthritis pain, try using heat or cold compress for pain relief. Heat helps relax your tensed and painful muscles while cold produces a numbing effect and decreases muscle spasms. Try both and decide which works better for you. What you can do is place a heating pad on the affected area for about 15 minutes. To use a cold compress, wrap a thin cloth around an ice pack.

Consider also trying alternative rheumatoid arthritis treatments such as acupuncture, balneotherapy and emotional freedom technique or eft for rheumatoid pain relief.

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