Arthritis is a debilitating medical condition that usually affects older people. Its name means "inflammation of joints". The general term of arthritis refers to over 100 forms that this disease can take. Arthritis sufferers experience various symptoms that won't let them continue their life in a normal manner. Some of them can't work anymore and they even find it difficult to fulfill their household choruses.

Arthritis causes are not yet fully understood by specialists. They might differ depending on the form of arthritis. However, it seems that there are some factors that make a person prone to developing this illness. Since it mainly affects people over 55 years old, age is one of these factors. In time, cartilages lose their ability of recovering. Overweight might also lead to arthritis because the joints have to support and extra load and they slowly damage. Overweight usually causes arthritis in hips and knees. Some specialists agree that genetic predisposition plays a part in developing arthritis. People working in difficult conditions, like on the assembly line or in constructions are also likely to suffer of arthritis and studies are being made to see if there is a connection between practicing demanding sports and arthritis.

Other significant arthritis causes include previous injury and previous inflammation or infection. Major injuries, for example, lead to a particular type of arthritis, osteoarthritis, while malfunctioning of the metabolism leads to gout. Arthritis causes, just like arthritis symptoms and treatment, vary from individual to individual.

Many people choose to relieve their pain with herbal remedies and essential oils for massaging the affected area are very popular among arthritis patients. Lavender oil, rosemary oil and St, John's Wort oil is very efficient if massaged on the painful joint. Heated olive oil is also providing relief from the pain.

Other patients decide to use herbs which have anti-inflammatory or analgesic properties. Stinging nettle, angelica, alfalfa or black cohosh are examples of such herbs. They are consumed either as tea or infusion or in form of pills with extract. Red pepper is another herb useful in treating arthritis. The analgesic effect is given by capsaicin and it was proven that creams containing capsaicin are capable of reducing pain if used four times a day. Boswelia has powerful anti-inflammatory action, similar with those of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The difference is that it doesn't produce any side effects. However, even though arthritis causes are not entirely clear yet, the nature is providing us a lot of natural remedies for coping with this tormenting disease.