Anyone with arthritis knows what it's like to be in constant pain and not even have the strength or energy required to accomplish some of the most basic daily tasks, such as removing the lid from a jar. Arthritis -- in any of its 100 variations -- is a truly debilitating illness, affecting in excess of 40 million Americans (almost 1 in 5 adults) and many more millions worldwide. And, despite beliefs to the contrary, arthritis is not an illness restricted to the elderly -- anyone, children and animals included, can become an arthritis sufferer at any time. It's well known that no medical cure currently exists for arthritis. It's a chronic, degenerative illness that, once contracted, stays with the sufferer for life. Not a very comforting thought. It's not even clear what triggers arthritis in most cases, although there can be hereditary links. Regular medicine provides a number of drugs to treat arthritis, if only in terms of pain management rather than reversal of the condition. As mentioned, arthritis is a chronic, degenerative condition that cannot, at the present time, be reversed. Available drugs -- COX-2 inhibitors and NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) -- are proven to be effective in most cases but they can only help control the pain....and they come at a cost. Firstly, there is the monetary cost which can run to hundreds of dollars per month -- insurance will, no doubt, cover the cost for many people but for how long? Secondly, and of far more concern, is the potential cost to the patient's long-term health from potential addiction and reported side effects, the most serious of which can include severe toxicity of the kidneys, liver and bone marrow. There has even been a case in recent years of one arthritis-treating drug being withdrawn from the market by its manufacturer due to increased risk of heart failure and strokes -- this is very worrying! Lots of information about this can be found on a number of health news websites - just type Vioxx into a search engine. Against this background it's no surprise that more and more people are looking to alternative treatments for their arthritic condition. And it's why the natural remedies for arthritis pain relief have such high perceived value; anything that can reduce pain and at the same time help increase strength and energy with few or no side effects must surely be worth trying out, right? There are a number of readily available dietary supplements that have the potential to bring significant pain relief to arthritis sufferers. Some of these supplements such as glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate are very well known and have been extensively studied by the scientific community and there appears to be very good evidence of efficacy. Another product, rosehip (Rosa Canina), is a more recent discovery in terms of arthritic pain relief but scientific studies -- most notably in Europe -- suggest this is a very promising, all-natural, pain-relieving supplement which offers a herbal alternative to the animal and marine extracts used in the manufacture of glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate. Unfortunately, because of the vast sums of money involved in arthritic pain management there are many false claims made on behalf of totally ineffective or even fake products that are promoted as wonder cures for arthritis. The problem for many people is knowing just what is genuine and what is fake. There is no simple answer other than to search for the evidence. This does not mean the testimonials on retailers' or manufacturers' websites -- after all, these companies have an interest in presenting their products in the most favorable light. Of course, where a company can show hundreds of testimonials for a single product rather than just a handful it might be a little more meaningful (think of Amazon, for example). Anyone thinking of taking natural remedies to aid arthritis pain relief needs first to look for evidence of qualified medical or scientific studies for those specific products and to see what conclusions are reached. The scientific researchers will have put time and rigor into their studies -- not to mention putting their own reputations on the line. The message is simple: if you are thinking of using a dietary supplement -- whether for arthritis pain relief or any other reason -- don't just rely on what the manufacturers say. Use the available independent evidence to save yourself time, money and further anguish.
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Anyone with arthritis knows what it's like to be in constant pain and not even have the strength or energy required to accomplish some of the most basic daily tasks, such as removing the lid from a jar. Arthritis -- in any of its 100 variations -- is a truly debilitating illness, affecting in excess of 40 million Americans (almost 1 in 5 adults) and many more millions worldwide.
Gary Docherty has been an arthritis sufferer for more than 10 years and is owner of the website http://www.FindEffectiveSupplements.com/ It took Gary 6 years to find a natural alternative to regular drugs for his pain management. Explore natural remedies for arthritis pain relief and other effective dietary supplements much more quickly.
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