After years of suffering, I finally found relief from my arthritis pain, naturally, and you can do it too. There's a natural solution to curing oneself of arthritis pain that I discovered several years ago. The first step when looking for solutions to an arthritis pain problem is to understand how arthritis works.

As a result of arthritis, the bone beneath the cartilage undergoes changes that lead to bony overgrowth and the tissue that lines the joint can become inflamed, the ligaments can loosen, and the associated muscles can weaken. Arthritis pain can be experienced whenever a stiff or swollen joint is used.

Cartilage is one of the few tissues that does not have its own blood supply. Proteoglycans are large molecules that help make up cartilage; they bond to water, which ensures the high-fluid content in cartilage Collagen is the essential protein in cartilage; it forms a mesh to give support and flexibility to the joint.

Possible causes of arthritis include lesser known: bleeding disorders, like hemophilia, that causes bleeding to occur in the joint; disorders such as avascular necrosis, that block the blood supply closest to the joint; and conditions like hemochromatosis, that causes iron build-up in the joints. Genetic factors are thought to be involved in about 50% of osteoarthritis cases in the hands and hips and a somewhat lower percentage of cases in the knee.

An inflammatory response causes cytokines, to gather in injured areas and cause inflammation and damage to body tissue and cells; it's known to play a role in rheumatoid arthritis and other muscle and joint problems associated with autoimmune diseases.

The first step in managing your arthritis is to change your diet; I think all experts would agree on this. With natural treatments there will be fewer, if any, side effects or adverse reactions. Nutrition experts say it takes a combination of supplements, that no one supplement can relieve arthritis pain, build cartilage, etc.

Some of the supplements commonly used for relieving arthritis pain, but I don't know if any of these work, are: glucosamine, chondroitin, bromelain, grapeseed extract, omega-3 and omega-6, cod liver oil, manganese ascorbate, MSM, boron, niacinamide, pantothenic acid, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin E.

Make highly nutritious raw applesauce using a food processor and put in 3-4 cored pesticide-free apples, with the skin on, and mix for a minute; so much better for you than canned highly processed applesauce and add 1/4 tsp. cinnamon or two tablespoons of freshly ground flaxseed for another boost. Many arthritis sufferers have changed their diets and noticed significant or total improvement. I used a totally living food diet to completely rid myself of arthritis pain.

I know quite a few people who are drinking tart cherry juice to relieve their arthritis pain; has to the tart kind though. Many have told me that going off dairy products and gluten containing foods relieved their arthritis pain entirely.

An acidic diet, that is any foods not alive, is considered to be inflammatory to the joints. Some foods and beverages to avoid that are inflammatory are: caffeine, salt, sugar, meat, dairy products, additives, soft drinks, white flour, white rice, alcoholic beverages, fast food, processed vegetable oils, refined, packaged and processed food.

If weight is an issue, try to use exercises that will help you in losing weight such as walking. Whatever you do, keep moving; don't sit when you can stand, don't stand when you can walk. Exercise is good for joints affected by osteoarthritis. For arthritic fingers, a good exercise is to put your finger tips together and press hard and release, then repeat several times.

Even if you don't think you can exercise, you can do some movements. Important exercises for arthritis are range-of-motion exercises, isometrics, and some weight bearing exercises. Keep a bedside basket of arthritic aids for arthritic hands (Theraputty, hand grips, Taiji chime balls, etc.) to be used at bedtime or while watching television.

If you're going to go the conventional treatment route and take medications, ask your pharmacist for drug inserts so you can read up on the drugs and understand any side effects or adverse reactions, before taking them. Be aware that the use of NSAIDs or Cox-2 inhibitors do not halt the progress of osteoarthritis and may even hasten the onset.

If you're planning to take any of the non-prescription NSAIDS for arthritis, make sure you understand what bad effects they can have on the stomach, liver and/or kidneys and discuss this with your doctor.

Knowing more about arthritis and how it works will ultimately help contribute to your relief of arthritis pain. Arthritis pain relief is the ultimate goal - understanding arthritis is a good way to get there. Following these suggestions can help you get back in the swing of things and allow you to spend your days enjoying life once more.