So, after weeks of ignoring that dull aching feeling in your joints, you went to the doctor and were diagnosed with arthritis.
"Great!" you're thinking.
I now have a diagnosis for my pain.
But how is that supposed to help me? My complaints of discomfort finally have an official name, but other than that I'm no better off now than I was before.
" Well, congratulations on having begun your research.
We hope this provides a bit more clarity regarding your situation, as well as some useful coping mechanisms for dealing with the pain.
What exactly is arthritis? Arthritis is simply a medical term applied to inflammation of the joints.
There are over 100 different types of arthritis, including rheumatoid, psoriatic, and gouty; however, the most common form of arthritis today is osteoarthritis.
There are three possible causes: (1) Bodily trauma (2) Infection (3) Natural aging Some people may suffer from chronic arthritis, which means that their pain may last anywhere from a couple of years to a lifetime, while others may simply suffer from temporary discomfort.
Either way, it isn't pleasant, but it is most certainly is treatable.
Medicinal Treatment: The two main-stream types of medicine prescribed for arthritis sufferers are NSAID's and corticosteroids.
NSAID's, or Non-Steroidal Ant-Inflammatory Drugs, are generally safe, and many of them are available over the counter (for example aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen).
Unfortunately, long-term users of these medications have experienced negative reactions, and therefore they do not provide a long term solution for treatment.
Corticosteroids have been created by doctors to closely resemble cortisol, a natural hormone found in your body.
They too are anti inflammatory drugs that can be taken in the form of pills or via direct injections.
While they may prove very useful in the short term, they do contain the risk of associated side affects, and therefore are also not recommended for long term use.
Alternative Medicine: The alternative options we provide are not as immediate-acting as "medicine"; however they provide a much better, safer, natural and long term solution.

• Diet - Foods rich in antioxidants have been proven to help reduce inflammation due to their wealth of vitamins

• Herbs - Available in a variety of forms (such as pills, teas or tinctures), herbs such as alfalfa, arnica, bee venom, devil's claw and ginger have all proven instrumental in treating symptoms of arthritis and easing the pain of inflammation in your joints

• Vitamins - The B vitamins, particularly B3, B5, B6, and B12, have all proven to aid in treating arthritis due to their anti-swelling capabilities.
  Vitamins E, C, and K, whether incorporated into your diet or taken orally in the form of a pill, have also proven effective in treatment.
  

• Acupuncture - For treatment of existing pain, as well as prevention of future pain, acupuncture helps restore a sense of balance to your body's functioning.
  

• Massage - To help alleviate your current pains and ease the stiffness in your joints, a massage is an excellent short-term, side effect free remedy for your pains, and it may help reduce the pains of future flare-ups.
  

• Exercise -By strengthening the muscles surrounding your joints you can decrease the load placed upon your joints and ease the inflammation that otherwise might occur due to excessive strain upon them

• Meditation - By bringing your body to a complete state of relaxation, you can help ease the stress and tension that causes the stiffening of your joints, and thus give you pain relief.
  

It should be noted that these options generally work best in combination with one another.
Your body is one large entity combined of many intricate parts.
What occurs in one seemingly unrelated place can have a direct reaction on another.
It is important to make sure to take care of your whole system, to ensure your body's optimum functioning.