I know a simple secret for getting rid of arthritis pain forever and it's not taking drugs. During my nursing career I was never able to find relief for my arthritis pain until I turned to the field considered natural or alternative medicine.

Unlike some other types of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis is not systemic -it does not spread through the entire body. Arthritis is usually found in the joints of the fingers, feet, knees, hips, and spine. As a result of arthritis, the bone beneath the cartilage undergoes changes that lead to bony overgrowth and the tissue that lines the joint can become inflamed, the ligaments can loosen, and the associated muscles can weaken.

Cartilage contains a high percentage of water, but it decreases with age. The ability to make repairs to cartilage becomes limited as cartilage cells age. In young people, cartilage is about 85% water and in older folks about 70% of cartilage is water.

One possible cause of arthritis is the inflammatory response due to the over-reaction of the immune system to an injury or other assault in the body, like an infection. The cause of arthritis (osteoarthritis) and the factors leading to the deterioration of cartilage in osteoarthritis is still not understood.

Possible causes of arthritis include lesser known: bleeding disorders, like hemophilia, which causes bleeding to occur in the joint; disorders such as avascular necrosis, that block the blood supply closest to the joint; and conditions like hemochromatosis, that causes iron build-up in the joints.

For snacks, choose raw nuts without salt instead of lifeless roasted nuts. If your osteoarthritis is affecting your load-bearing joints, keeping your weight within a normal range is important. The first step in managing your arthritis is to change your diet; I think all experts would agree on this.

Supplements that help any disease or ailment include vitamin B12 -- the methylcobalamin type not cyanocobalamin, and has to be sub-lingual -- dissolves slowly under the tongue; and vitamin D3 especially if you can't get a daily dose of 15-20 minutes of sun on your arms and legs so you can make your own vitamin D3.

Some people swear by morning drinks of raw apple cider vinegar and honey for arthritis pain relief. A study in Great Britain touted the beneficial effects of cod liver oil on osteoarthritis; relieving pain and stiffness, and reversing the destruction of joint cartilage within 24 hours.

Make highly nutritious raw applesauce using a food processor and put in 3-4 cored pesticide-free apples, with the skin on, and mix for a minute; so much better for you than canned highly processed applesauce and add 1/4 tsp. cinnamon or two tablespoons of freshly ground flaxseed for another boost.

Make smoothies with fruit only using a base of two bananas, adding a cup of frozen or fresh blueberries and mango chunks or substitute any other fruit and add an energy boost of two tablespoons of coconut oil; add one or two leaves of kale for another highly nutritional boost -- no one will ever know.

Many have told me that going off dairy products and gluten containing foods relieved their arthritis pain entirely. An acidic diet, that is any foods not alive, is considered to be inflammatory to the joints.

Don't just sit there, keep moving. Exercise in a heated pool; it will help reduce the pressure on your joints and the heat will help you loosen those joints. Even the lightest exercise can go a long way to maintaining your joint mobility and overall health. Important exercises for arthritis are range-of-motion exercises, isometrics, and some weight bearing exercises.

For arthritic fingers, a good exercise is to put your finger tips together and press hard and release, then repeat several times. Try to keep painful joint areas in motion, even in a limited manner. Your body has 147 different joints that are in motion every day of your life.

At the very least, understand what the side effects and adverse reactions are for any drug you take. If you're planning to take any of the non-prescription NSAIDS for arthritis, make sure you understand what bad effects they can have on the stomach, liver and/or kidneys and discuss this with your doctor. Be aware that the use of NSAIDs or Cox-2 inhibitors do not halt the progress of osteoarthritis and may even hasten the onset.

Knowing more about arthritis and how it works will ultimately help contribute to your relief of arthritis pain. Stopping the progress of your arthritis as well as stopping your pain should be your number one goal. Changing your diet to predominately fruits and raw veggies, like I did, can turn your arthritis pain around almost overnight.