7 days ago
Ten natural remedies to relieve arthritis pain
One in six of us in the UK now live with arthritis, according to the latest figures from Versus Arthritis, which adds up to over 10 million people suffering with joint pain, swelling and stiffness, many in silence. But while there is sadly no magic cure for arthritis, doctors actively encourage people with the condition to make simple lifestyle adjustments which not only relieve their pain, but also help slow down the progression of the disease.
'The difficulty with a lot of conventional medications like anti-inflammatories and painkillers is that they really don't work very well – or they work but they have side effects,' says Dr Wendy Holden, Arthritis Action's medical adviser and honorary consultant rheumatologist at North Hampshire Hospitals NHS Trust. 'Lifestyle changes can make a really big difference.'
The most common form of the condition is osteoarthritis (OA), the wear-and-tear kind which typically affects people from their mid-40s onwards, and affects the joints in the hands, spine, knees and hips; and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an autoimmune condition which causes the body's immune system to mistakenly attack the lining of the joints, causing pain and swelling.
'Even though there are different kinds of arthritis, generally the lifestyle advice holds true across the board,' says Dr Holden.
Here are the leading natural remedies and lifestyle changes that our experts recommend.
1. Lose weight
One of the biggest favours you can do to relieve your arthritis pain is lose weight. 'Losing weight reduces pressure on joints, particularly weight-bearing joints like the hips and knees. There may also be an impact from reducing fat tissue, as this is metabolically 'active' and can secrete several chemical factors, some of which may have inflammatory effects,' says nutritionist Bridget Benelam, from the British Nutrition Foundation.
One study found that reaching a healthy BMI could reduce arthritis pain in the foot and ankle by as much as 43 per cent, and losing just 1lb of body fat could remove 4lb worth of pressure from your knee joints. For this reason alone, Dr Holden says that losing just a small amount of weight will help. 'The important thing here is that you don't need to lose a lot of weight to make a difference: just losing 5-10 per cent of your body weight has been shown to dramatically reduce arthritis pain,' she says.
2. Give up smoking
The second biggest factor in relieving arthritis symptoms is to give up smoking. This is because smoking is linked to increased inflammation, one of the main triggers of RA.
Smoking can also decrease blood flow and oxygen to your joints, thereby accelerating the deterioration of joint cartilage and slowing down the body's ability to heal, making arthritis progress more quickly. In addition, it's linked to decreased bone density, which can make joint pain worse and increase the risk of falls and fractures.
Evidence has shown that stopping smoking will not only improve arthritis symptoms, but will also improve how well any treatment actually works – particularly in people with RA.
3. Eat an anti-inflammatory diet
'A diet which is rich in oily fish, olive oil, vegetables, pulses and wholegrains remains one of the best approaches for reducing inflammation and supporting joint health,' says nutritionist Milena Kaler.
She adds: 'Oily fish like salmon and sardines provide omega-3 fatty acids, which may help reduce joint pain and stiffness over time. Plenty of colourful vegetables and berries provide antioxidants, which help to counter the oxidative stress thought to play a role in both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.'
Try to avoid heavily processed foods, or those which are high in sugar. This is because a high-sugar diet is thought to be a risk factor for osteoarthritis, and a recent study established a link between arthritis and a high intake of ultra-processed foods, which typically contain additives like preservatives, sweeteners and emulsifiers.
'Ultra-processed foods, excessive refined sugar and trans fats are best kept to a minimum,' advises Kaler. 'These foods are linked to raised inflammation markers in the body and may exacerbate joint pain in the long term. Processed meats, deep-fried foods and high-sugar snacks can worsen systemic inflammation and contribute to weight gain, which places additional strain on joints.'
Hydrogenated oils like sunflower oil, soya oil and peanut oil are also linked to worsened arthritis symptoms because of their high omega-6 content which has been linked to inflammatory chemicals in the body.
4. Regular exercise
' Multiple studies show that exercise can reduce pain as much as codeine – by about 30 per cent, ' says Dr Holden. The stronger you are, the more stable your joints will be and the less pain you'll feel.'
Gently strengthening muscles and mobilising the joints is the goal, as this will help to stabilise the joint and increase your range of motion, taking the pressure off already sore joints. Regular exercise also helps to improve blood flow.
And it doesn't have to involve any expensive kit. Strength training at the gym or at home with resistance bands can be helpful. If this feels too intense, exercising in water, increasing your daily step count, or even practising sitting to standing a few times each day will make a difference, provided you steadily build up and increase your level of activity over time.
Dr Holden says: 'People with arthritis worry they're going to hurt themselves with exercise. In fact, the opposite is true. If you don't exercise your muscles get weak and your joints get unstable, and then you get frightened of moving because it hurts.'
5. Acupuncture
Daniel Elliott, clinic director at The London Acupuncture Clinic, who treats arthritis patients daily, says that acupuncture is particularly effective when used in combination with conventional medicine – often helping patients to reduce their dosage and the associated side effects.
We still don't entirely understand how or why acupuncture works, but a review of a number of studies points to its anti-inflammatory and immune-regulating effect, and concludes that it's worth trying as it can improve the quality of life for people with arthritis, particularly those with RA.
Elliott says: 'Acupuncture works to increase localised blood circulation which can help reduce inflammation and swelling, improving movement and reducing pain. It also stimulates the nervous system and releases endorphins which further reduce discomfort.'
6. Massage
Massage helps to relieve tension and stiffness, while improving blood flow and easing inflammation and pain. There's some evidence that a weekly or bi-weekly Swedish massage lasting 30-60 minutes for a period of eight weeks can help to manage the pain of RA, as well as reducing the need for painkillers – and Dr Holden believes that massage can also relieve the pain associated with OA.
'Massage can be helpful for hip, knee or back pain. It's a matter of finding which type of 'hands-on' treatment feels best for you,' she says, whether that's manipulation, like osteopathy or chiropractic, myofascial release (a technique used to treat skeletal muscle immobility and pain by releasing tension in the fascia), a gentle, relaxing massage from a beauty therapist, or even self-massage. 'Some people are very sensitive to massage and may find that intense forms of massage are uncomfortable – even painful. In this case, a gentle, relaxing message is a good alternative.'
7. Heat and cold therapy
It's worth experimenting to see if your arthritis pain responds best to heat or cold, or a combination of both. Warm baths, saunas, heating pads and hot water bottles can provide short-term relief by improving blood flow and reducing muscle spasms, while ice baths, cold-water swimming, ice packs or even a bag of frozen peas can help to calm inflammation and numb the pain. Dr Holden says: 'As a guide, if there's a muscular element to your pain, then heat will generally help but if there's inflammation or swelling, cold might work better.'
8. Stress-busting techniques
You may roll your eyes at this one, but practising mindful meditation can not only help reduce stress and improve sleep, there's increasing evidence that it can also support pain management. This is particularly true for body-scan meditation (paying particular attention to the body parts from top to toes), designed to help you manage pain and discomfort. In one study, participants who followed an eight-week course involving a 10-minute daily meditation reported an immediate improvement in pain-related distress.
'When we're very stressed, our pain threshold will go down, so we feel pain more,' explains Dr Holden. 'People with inflammatory arthritis will often report flare-ups when they've been stressed, and we know that mindfulness or meditation can help with pain management.' If you can't face the thought of meditation, research suggests that simple breathing exercises can have similar benefits – and you can pick up the basics with a free online course.
9. Quality sleep
Many people with arthritis have trouble sleeping because the pain, stiffness and inflammation makes it hard to relax and get comfortable. In fact, research shows that up to 60 per cent of arthritis sufferers experience pain during the night. However, there's good evidence that improved sleep can help to ease arthritis pain along with your ability to manage it, so it's important to prioritise sleep hygiene to help you get the restorative rest your body needs.
'Sleep is anti-inflammatory: it boosts the immune system, supports healing and improves mental wellbeing. This is why I recommend paying attention to sleep hygiene,' says Dr Holden. 'Focus on the basics, such as not eating close to bedtime, establishing a regular sleep schedule, avoiding caffeine and alcohol in the evening, and taking time to unwind before bed.'
If your sleep is disturbed by pain, talk to your GP about physiotherapy, cognitive behavioural therapy and drug treatments, all of which can help you break the cycle of sleeplessness.
10. Supplements
The jury is out on this. Health food shops are packed with supplements claiming to ease the symptoms of arthritis, and Dr Holden believes that some of them are worth a try – with one important caveat. She says: 'There is some evidence that some herbal supplements can have an anti-inflammatory effect, particularly rosehip, devil's claw, ginger and gingko. However, you need to be careful with supplements and check with a pharmacist as some of them may interact with the anti-inflammatories that many people take for arthritis.'
Kaler adds: 'Calcium and vitamin K2 may support bone health, which is important in older adults with osteoarthritis. Curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, shows some promise for reducing joint pain thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties, though the effects tend to be modest and it's not a substitute for medical treatment.'
Dr Holden recommends vitamin D supplementation simply because most of us are deficient. She says: 'Vitamin D is important for the immune system, muscle health and bone health, and deficiency can worsen musculoskeletal pain.'
Benelam adds: 'Calcium and vitamin D are essential nutrients for bone health and supplements may be prescribed for patients with rheumatoid arthritis taking steroids, which can increase the risk of bone loss and osteoporosis.'
