I am assuming that most of the readers of this article are aware of the basics of arthritis and I am not going into finer details of the disease per se here. This article is dedicated to discussing about the natural remedies for joint pain and hence I will stick to the point.
Conventionally arthritis has been managed with analgesics called as Non Steroidal Anti Inflammatories (NSAIDs). NSAIDs cause dangerous side effects like gastric ulceration and they also increase the risk of heart disease and strokes. Thus both patients and their doctors are not averse to looking at Mother Nature to help ease the joint pain in arthritis. While natural and herbal remedies are generally free from side effects and are reasonably effective they might interfere with other prescription medications. It is therefore prudent on the part of the patient to check with their doctors first before starting these medications.
There are a whole range of natural remedies for joint pain and it would be practically impossible to go through all of them but I will list the ones that are most effective with reasonable scientific backing to their use.
Glucosamine and Chondroitin: Perhaps no other natural remedy have been as extensively studied as these two. Both Glucosamine and Chondroitin are found naturally occurring in the joints and with wear and tear of the joints these reduce dramatically in an arthritic joint. It is thus appropriate that there should be some relief from joint pains when one substitutes these ingredients in the joint.
Omega 3 fatty acids: Omega 3 fatty acids have a wide range of beneficial effects in the human body. Derived from fish oils they reduce inflammation and pain of many chronic conditions.
Bromelain: Derived from the Papaya fruit, Bromelain has shown good anti-inflammatory effect and is an analgesic too.
MethylSulfonylMethane: MSM occurs naturally in plants and animals and preliminary studies have shown promise as a good analgesic in arthritis.
Devil's claw and Cat's claw: Both these herbs have potent anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties and have been used for centuries for their effectiveness not only in arthritis but also in other ailments.
Boswellia (Indian Frankincense): Regular use of Boswellia improves blood flow to the joints thus resulting in a well-nourished and viable joint tissue. Boswellia has been used in traditional Ayurveda since times immemorial.
