Arthritis inflicts much suffering in terms of pain and disabling the sufferer. It affects the large joints of the body and limits body function, movement, and causing joint deformity.

Unfortunately, there is no known cause or cure for arthritis. Thus, you can only treat arthritis and treatment is essentially focused on pain management.

Heat therapy is very effective in treating the pain and swelling of arthritis. This is where aromatherapy can be combined with heat therapy for maximum results. Aromatic heat baths and herbal massage oils are an awesome way to promote healing to the painful area while reducing pain and swelling. There are many wonderful herbs that have analgesic and pain reducing qualities that may be massaged directly on the affected areas.

You should of course test the herbs first to make sure that you have no sensitivities or allergic reactions. To check for allergic reactions, simply add a drop of the essential oil to the nape of the neck, by the hairline, and checking for any irritation. Fourteen hours is sufficient time to see if any irritations have developed. If the area is clear of redness or signs of a reaction, it is safe to assume that the oil will not cause an allergic reaction.

It is also important to note that when using essential oils they are in concentrated form and can be very irritating to the skin if used directly. You should always add essential oils to carrier oil when making massage oil. This means that you should add 10-20 drops of essential oil to 1 ounce of carrier oil.

A great carrier oil for an arthritis massage oil would be Sweet Almond or Olive. You can make your own arthritis massage oil with 1 ounce of carrier oil, 3 drops of Vetiver oil, 4 drops of Cedarwood oil, and 4 drops of Lemon oil. Blend together in your carrier oil and store in an amber colored bottle. You can also add the blend to a bath of hot water for immediate and penetrating relief in the bathtub. Soak in the hot bath for at least 20 minutes to obtain the most relief.

The key to prevent arthritis happening in the first place is to keep the body supple and flexible. One good prevention method is by practicing yoga. Yoga helps to keep joints supple and flexible. By beginning a routine of yoga exercises now, you may be warding off many serious and pain filled days in the future.

Yoga is not only an effective tool that may help prevent arthritis, it is also very therapeutic to those who are suffering with it. The important rule is not to push yourself beyond what you can easily hold and maintain. Remember to move slowly, and that yoga is not a competitive sport. Thus, there is no not need to compare your progress or performance with anyone else but yourself.

In this article, I have highlighted on using natural methods for arthritis. Of course, you can always manage pain by taking OTC medication like paracetomol or prescription medication such as ibufren. However, these medications are drug-related and its overuse can lead to potential side-effects.