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. To get the arthritis pain relief you're seeking it's helpful to understand how arthritis works.

The synovial fluid lubricates and provides oxygen and nutrients to the cartilage, which has no blood supply. Cartilage contains chondrocytes, water, proteoglycans and collagen; chondrocytes are the basic cartilage cells and are necessary for balance and function. The joints are designed to provide flexibility, support, stability, and protection.

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. 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.

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.

For snacks, choose raw nuts without salt instead of lifeless roasted nuts. Natural treatment for arthritis is usually a better choice because it's non-invasive to the body. With natural treatments there will be fewer, if any, side effects or adverse reactions.

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). Nutrition experts say it takes a combination of supplements, that no one supplement can relieve arthritis pain, build cartilage, etc.

Make smoothies with fruit only using a base of two bananas, adding a cup of frozen or fresh blueberries and mango chunks or substitute any other fruit and add an energy boost of two tablespoons of coconut oil; add one or two leaves of kale for another highly nutritional boost -- no one will ever know.

Many have told me that going off dairy products and gluten containing foods relieved their arthritis pain entirely. Studies done on antioxidant vitamins question the value of these supplements; it's clearly better to consume these antioxidants in living foods because they may also need to work with other nutrients present in the foods to work properly.

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. Try massaging your fingers or other affected joints with coconut oil twice a day.

Exercise in a heated pool; it will help reduce the pressure on your joints and the heat will help you loosen those joints. There are a number of exercises which can benefit arthritis sufferers regardless of how much restriction of movement there is. Exercise is good for joints affected by osteoarthritis. Fight arthritis through proper exercise!

Try to keep painful joint areas in motion, even in a limited manner. For arthritic fingers, a good exercise is to put your finger tips together and press hard and release, then repeat several times. Don't just sit there, keep moving.

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. Once you become more informed about arthritis you'll be able to plan an arthritis treatment program, natural or conventional or a combination of both. Be aware that the use of NSAIDs or Cox-2 inhibitors do not halt the progress of osteoarthritis and may even hasten the onset.

Once you understand the facts about arthritis, possible causes and treatment approaches you can take, you'll be on your way to recovery and pain will disappear. More and more doctors are investigating the benefits of alternative therapies and most don't object to patients trying them. Knowing more about arthritis and how it works will ultimately help contribute to your relief of arthritis pain.