Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis; when people refer to arthritis they usually mean osteoarthritis. The pain in arthritis can be mild, moderate or severe. Sometimes arthritis symptoms can occur in the wrist, elbows, shoulders, and jaw but generally you don't find it there.

The synovium is a membrane that surrounds the entire joint; it is filled with synovial fluid, a lubricating liquid that supplies nutrients and oxygen to the cartilage. Collagen is the essential protein that is found in cartilage; it forms a mesh to give support and flexibility to the joints. Proteoglycans are the large molecules that help to make up cartilage; they bond to water, which ensures the high-fluid content in the cartilage.

Sometimes injuries can be the start of the arthritic disease process; osteoarthritis can develop years later after a single traumatic injury to a joint or near a joint. When chondrocytes, which are the cells that make up cartilage age, they lose their ability to make repairs and produce more cartilage; this process may play an important part in the development and progression of osteoarthritis. Researchers report a higher incidence of osteoarthritis between parents and children and between siblings rather than husbands and wives.

One dietary natural treatment method involves avoiding all inflammatory foods. Make all-fruit smoothies using a base of two bananas, add a cup of frozen or fresh blueberries and mango chunks or substitute any other fruit and add an energy boost of two tablespoons of organic virgin coconut oil if you like; add one or two leaves of kale for even more super nutrition. Many arthritis sufferers who have changed their diets significantly have noticed major and even total improvement.

Many people have told me that going off dairy products and foods containing gluten, like wheat especially, relieved them of arthritis pain entirely. If arthritis is affecting your weight-bearing joints, keeping your weight within a normal range is important to get rid of any arthritis symptoms. Some of the 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, and all refined, packaged and processed food.

Some people swear by a morning drink of pure filtered heated water with a teaspoon or so of raw apple cider vinegar (like Bragg's) and honey to keep them free of arthritis pain but vinegar is too harsh for many. If you're not already doing so, make a big effort to change your diet for the better.

Some of the supplements commonly reported for relieving arthritis pain (and I don't know if any of these work) are: cherry powder, 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. For a natural approach and for natural treatment for arthritis make an appointment with a naturopathic doctor, called a naturopath; ask around for referrals in your area.

Make sure to exercise all your affected joints every day, to keep them flexible. Important exercises for arthritis include: range-of-motion exercises, isometric exercise, and some weight-bearing exercises. At bedtime you can try putting on a pair of stretch gloves to help reduce the pain and swelling in your fingers if you have arthritic hands. A good exercise routine is important to beat arthritis and keeping arthritis pain at bay; keep on moving.

Your body has 147 different joints in motion every day of your life; keep them moving! Yes, whatever you do, keep moving; don't sit when you can stand, don't stand when you can walk or walk in place. To be on the safe side always check with your doctor before starting or changing any exercise program.

At the very least, understand what the side effects and adverse reactions are for any arthritis medication you take; one rule of thumb is - don't take any medication that has been on the market for less than five years. For conventional treatment of arthritis - if you do choose to take drugs or medications, be careful, read the labels thoroughly and talk to your pharmacist about side effects and adverse reactions; make sure you know the name of them and if they'll react with any other medication you're taking. Once you become completely informed about arthritis you'll be able to plan an arthritis treatment program, natural or conventional or a combination.

Changing your diet to lots of raw fruits and raw veggies, like I did, can turn your arthritis pain around almost overnight. More and more doctors are investigating the benefits of natural arthritis treatments and alternative therapies and most don't object to their patients trying them. Relief of your arthritis pain and symptoms is the ultimate goal - understanding arthritis and arthritis treatments is a good way to get there.