Home Remedies for Arthritis
Arthritis is the painful inflammation and rubbing of the joints, particularly in the hands, elbows and knees. The most common type, osteoarthritis, is caused by the slow rubbing away of the protective layer between the bones in various joints and is common in people over forty. Rheumatoid arthritis is more serious and also destroys the ligaments and tendons.
Rheumatoid arthritis should be treated by a physician, but osteoarthritis can often be treated with home remedies that ease the pain and inflammation.
Applied Home Remedies for Arthritis
One of the best treatments for arthritis is a combination of warmth with some kind of lubricant gently massaged into the area of pain to bring down the swelling and aid movement. Massaging warm olive oil over the effected joints is a common home remedy for arthritis. Many people add some crushed garlic, sage, rosemary or juniper to the olive oil for added relief of the inflammation and stiffness.
A simple steam bath or a soak in a warm bath with Epsom salts will also help alleviate the pain and encourage smoother movement of the joints. Heat also helps keep stiffness at bay so that you will be more likely to keep moving; staying still to avoid arthritis pain actually makes the condition worse over time.
Other home remedies for arthritis include warm poultices of soft cloths, such as flannel, soaked in warm vinegar. Camphor that has been blended into coconut or mustard oil is also a potent home remedy for arthritis that increases blood flow to the arthritic joint and eases inflammation.
One of the best home remedies for arthritis, if you have the time, is to soak for about half an hour in a warm bath with sea salt added. Of course, if you live near the ocean, a nice swim makes this even nicer. The natural iodine in sea salt will be absorbed through the skin, encouraging smoother movement of the joints. The soothing warmth of the water and the buoyancy of being in the ocean also take pressure off the joints.
Oral Home Remedy for Arthritis
You can also relieve the inflammation and ease the pain of sore joints by taking some of the many home remedies that are meant to be sipped. One of the most popular home remedies for arthritis is an old Russian remedy that’s been used for hundreds of years. Simply slice one raw potato into thin slices and soak them overnight in cold water. In the morning, drink the liquid on an empty stomach for quick relief.
The juice of raw vegetables is also very good home remedies for arthritis. One that’s particularly effective is a combination of the juice of leafy greens combined with carrot or celery juice in equal portions. The alkaline found in these juices helps to dissolve calcium deposits in the joints.
If you have sesame seeds in your kitchen, soak several of them overnight, then swallow them in the morning and drink the water. This has an effect similar to that of the vegetable juices. If you like ginger, try eating up to 50 grams of ginger a day in a variety of foods to soothe joint pain.
Any of these home remedies for arthritis pain can be very effective; however, if you arthritis progresses to the point where it is limiting movement, you should see a doctor.