Sometimes arthritis occurs in the wrist, elbows, shoulders, and jaw but you generally don’t find it there. Arthritis concentrates in one or several joints where deterioration occurs.

The synovium is a membrane that surrounds the whole joint; it’s filled with synovial fluid, a lubricating liquid that supplies nutrients and oxygen to the cartilage. Collagen is the main protein found in all connective tissues in the body, including the muscles, ligaments, and tendons. The synovial fluid lubricates and provides oxygen and nutrients to the cartilage, which has no blood supply.

Although osteoarthritis generally accompanies aging, osteoarthritic cartilage is chemically different from normal aged cartilage. It’s generally thought that inflammation plays a minor role in osteoarthritis and is more likely to be a result, not a cause, of arthritis. 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.

For natural treatment for arthritis make an appointment with a naturopathic doctor, called a naturopath; ask around for referrals. Many have told me that going off dairy products and gluten containing foods relieved their arthritis pain entirely. Watch your diet closely – load-bearing joints are affected by excessive weight; they are the hips, knees, feet and spine.

Gluten may be a culprit in arthritic diseases including fibromyalgia; avoid wheat, barley, rye, spelt, triticale, kamut and oats (although not a gluten grain it gets contaminated at the wheat mills). Try avoiding the eight most allergic foods, wheat being the most allergenic; they are wheat, corn, eggs, milk, peanuts, fish, shellfish and some nuts, not all.

Some people swear by glucosamine and/or chondroitin and others say it didn’t help at all.

With natural treatments there will be fewer, if any, side effects or adverse reactions. Supplements that help any disease or ailment include vitamin B12 — the methylcobalamin type not cyanocobalamin, and has to be sub-lingual — dissolves slowly under the tongue; and vitamin D3 especially if you can’t get a daily dose of 15-20 minutes of sun on your arms and legs so you can make your own vitamin D3.

One natural treatment method involves avoiding all inflammatory foods. If you really want to get rid of your arthritis pain forever it may take a radical change in your diet and an ongoing commitment.

Whatever you do, keep moving; don’t sit when you can stand, don’t stand when you can walk. To be on the safe side always seek your doctor’s advice before starting or changing your exercise program. Sign up for water aerobics classes at your local community center. Try to keep painful joint areas in motion, even in a limited manner.

There are a number of exercises which can benefit arthritis sufferers regardless of how much restriction of movement there is. Stretching and warming up the joints should always be the first step in your exercise routine to make your joints more flexible. 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.

Be aware that the use of NSAIDs or Cox-2 inhibitors don’t halt the progress of osteoarthritis and may even hasten the onset. 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.

Let your doctor and pharmacist know about any other drugs, herbs or other supplements you’re taking, to ward off any adverse drug reactions that might occur from the combining of different drugs or supplements.

Changing your diet to predominately fruits and raw veggies, like I did, can turn your arthritis pain around almost overnight. Begin your treatment program with a diet change, exercise and weight loss plan to see results and pain relief fast. Arthritis pain relief is the ultimate goal – understanding arthritis is a good way to get there.