12 Incredible Natural Remedies For Arthritis Pain & Inflammation

Muscle or joint massage can significantly help in reducing pain and inflammation for arthritis patients, whether it’s a self-massage at home or performed by a licensed therapist.

According to a recent study held on adult knee osteoarthritis patients, the group reported experiencing noticeable improvements in knee stiffness, function, pain, walking, and range of motion after receiving two Swedish massages every week for eight weeks, as compared to patients who didn’t receive any massages.

Regular massage can potentially help with arthritis symptoms throughout the body, including wrist, hand, or knee arthritis.

One particular study on wrist and hand arthritis patients showed that upon receiving four massages every week and being taught self-massage techniques, merely fifteen minutes of self-massage improved flexibility and grip strength, while also reducing anxiety and pain.

There are countless tutorial videos available on the internet teaching you how to give yourself self-massage to treat the area of inflammation. It’s worth following them, as they’ve proved effective for many people.

How about trying something a little more exotic as an arthritis remedy? It’s well worth checking out Indian frankincense. It contains active components called ‘Boswellic acids’, which have shown remarkable pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties in several studies.

According to experts, the exotic herb could also be useful to regular the autoimmune process and prevent cartilage loss. In one particular study, Indian frankincense extract was used on osteoarthritis patients. The study found that the herb helped improve functioning and pain within a week.

The easiest way to get your hands on the special herb is in its supplement form. You can easily find it in your local health store or simply order it online.

It’s a slippery slope. The arthritis pain associated with body movement may cause you to put on a few pounds, and in turn, the extra weight can cause you even more pain—and the nasty cycle continues.

The best thing you can do for yourself is to fight through the pain and shave off a few pounds to help take some pressure off your joints. This can notably ease symptoms, such as reduced knee pain.

Luckily, there’s more to weight loss than workouts. You can combine your light workouts with a healthy diet, both of which can help decrease inflammation and improve arthritis symptoms. Drink plenty of water to help reduce water weight (it really does make a difference), and limit your salt intake. Say no to fatty foods and other high-calorie processed items!

Fatty fish benefits are too extensive to leave it out of this list. From improving cognitive function and heart health to treating arthritis pain, there’s so much that a single portion of fatty fish is capable of. 

The omega-3 fatty acids in this food have been scientifically proven to have a direct impact on reducing arthritis-caused inflammation. Research studies have revealed convincing evidence to show that omega-3s EPA and DHA can promote endothelial function, which helps with the prevention of joint swelling.

It’s also that that arthritis can be relieved by fatty fish alone, without having to worry about the possible side effects that conventional prescription drugs could cause. Some of the omega-3 rich fish include salmon, seabass, mackerel, sardines, oysters, trout, and shrimp

Remember to avoid frying your fish in unhealthy oils or fats, choosing instead to always bake or grill it. Also, if you’re not a big fan of fish, you can consider taking fish oil in supplement form to secure your regular omega-3 intake.

Involving the physical alignment and adjustment of the body’s joints, chiropractic treatment is a form of therapy that’s a direct remedy for arthritis joint pain. Though it may sound scary at first, it’s more therapeutic and stress-relieving than it seems. 

Your joints and bones can benefit a lot from particular chiropractic adjustments, aimed specially to ease stiffness and relieve pain. A trained chiropractor may choose to incorporate massage into one of your sessions to further help with muscle or joint stiffness, which helps with mobility, flexibility, movement, and range of motion.

For people experiencing lower back pain due to arthritis, chiropractic adjustments can significantly help break up scar tissue and prevent muscle spasms, which helps in easing the pain they cause. If you’ve never tried it, it’s worth looking into as an alternative form of therapy to manage your symptoms and find relief.

Continuing the weight loss discussion, exercise probably isn’t the most enjoyable activity during arthritis flare-ups. As ironic as it may be, it’s still one of the most effective ways to help with symptoms of inflammation.

As exercise promotes the maintenance of strong and healthy muscles, endurance, flexibility, and mobility of joints, it’s considered an essential activity to manage arthritis symptoms in the long term. Try and find a healthy balance between exercise and rest, though, as rest is also essential to reduce inflammation and allow your joints to heal up.

Experts recommend resting more when your arthritis flare-ups are on the rise, and exercising more when the symptoms subside. On the worst days of arthritis pain, it’s best to stick only to light exercise. If you’re not sure about what’s best for your current condition, talk to your doctor and obtain their recommendation.

Found in various plant-based healthy foods, many research studies have shown vitamin C and flavonoids to be effective for preventing excessive inflammation and oxidative damage to cells. To help with swelling and pain, arthritis patients should maintain a healthy daily intake of vitamin C and flavonoids by including antioxidant vegetables and fruits into their diet.

Here are some of the best vitamin C and flavonoid sources:

• Pears     
• Apples     
• Apricots,     
• Strawberries     
• Raspberries     
• Cabbage     
• Black beans     
• Parsley     
• Onions     
• Tomatoes     
• Beans          

If you’re lacking vitamin C in your daily diet, consider taking it in tablet form as a dietary supplement.

It may sound a bit unusual as a remedy for arthritis, but Capsaicin cream happens to be remarkably helpful for arthritis pain relief. Capsaicin comes from chili peppers, and can inhibit a neuropeptide known as ‘substance P’, which is associated with inflammatory processes.

Scientists are still unsure about how Capsaicin cream works, though many believe it to somehow relieve pain by diminishing the nerve endings of certain pain-transmitting chemicals. It’s available in most health stores and can be applied directly to your skin over inflamed areas. You can purchase it here

Ginger also has the potential to suppress or deplete certain anti-inflammatory molecules referred to as ‘leukotrienes.’ It can also even neutralize certain inflammatory genes. According to some experts, ginger might be even more effective than many over-the-counter pain-relieving medicines.

You can easily include ginger into your diet to help with arthritis symptoms. For instance, you can add grated or chopped ginger to your curry and stir fry recipes directly. An even simpler way would be to use ginger capsules, powder, extract, or oils. If you’re into aromatic beverages, you could also make yourself a cup of ginger tea by simply adding some ginger extract to a cup of hot water!

Found in healthy cartilage surrounding the joints, glucosamine is a naturally occurring compound consisting of a jelly-like substance. It’s one of the best organic supplements you can take as an arthritis patient. As the cartilage between the bones wears away, your bones may experience damage and pain as they rub against each other, and that’s when they require additional glucosamine.

It’s widely sold over the counter at many pharmacies, as a natural way to achieve anti-inflammatory relief. If you’re unsure about taking glucosamine medicines, it’s best to speak to your doctor about it to obtain their opinion on your condition. You can buy glucosamine here.

CBD-based products primarily consist of a chemical compound called cannabinol found in cannabis plants, which can improve endocannabinoid system functioning. Experts associate CBD oil intake with reduced production of pain signals in the brain, alleviating the discomfort caused by arthritis symptoms. 

If you’re interested in taking CBD oils for your condition, you can use them in several forms, including applying them to your skin on affected areas or ingesting it in oil or tablet form.