"Arthritis is the number one cause of disability, and the new data confirms that arthritis and chronic joint symptoms are one of our most common public health problems."

- from a statement released by the CDC (October 2002)

Did you now that the term arthritis ('arth' meaning joint, 'itis' meaning inflammation) encompasses over a hundred different types of ailments, including rheumatic complaints? With this in mind, it's not surprising to note that no known arthritis treatment that is a 100% cure - for the moment at least. Therefore most arthritis treatment is focused upon pain relief and, if possible, delaying progression of the disease.

And arthritis is a disease - it should not be confused with the general signs of wear and tear that come with aging. In fact, 3 out of 5 arthritis sufferers are below the age of 65. Rheumatoid arthritis in particular is found in younger people, and is a disease that can be particularly debilitating. It is an autoimmune disease where the body turns on itself, attacking the synovial membranes in the joints. Since the synonial fluid is vital for the lubrication of the joints so that they move smoothly, the joints rub together and inflammation occurs. This causes often excruciating pain when the joints move and in time the cartilage wears down and the bones can fuse together. So, what arthritis treatment is there available to offer pain relief and prevent the onset of this disease?

Arthritis Treatment the Natural Way

One vitamin that has been in the limelight recently for arthritis treatment and pain relief has been vitamin E, or tocopherol. It is a fat soluble vitamin vital to a number of the body's process, and with particularly potent antioxidant properties. With regards to rheumatoid arthritis treatment and pain relief, two properties of vitamin E are important to remember:

1. It protects the cells of the body.

2. It provides immune system support.

Vitamin E's role in immune support means that taking it will offer pain relief when joint inflammation occurs. Vitamin E's role in protecting and strengthening cell membranes helps to prevent the onset of arthritis. That's the theory. Fortunately, research seems to back this up.

When vitamin E was combined with omega 3, there were noticeable improvements in terms of joint pain relief(http://www.mitamins.com/disease/Joint-Health.html). This is perhaps why the condition of arthritis sufferers very often improves when they go on to a seafood diet. This is because seafood has high levels of both omega 3 and vitamin E.

There is certainly nothing to lose by starting a course of vitamin E supplementation along with more conventional arthritis treatment.

With 2.9 million sufferers of rheumatoid arthritis in the U.S. today, arthritis treatment and arthritis pain relief is vital. Of this, 71,000 are below the age of eighteen and the ratio of women to men sufferers could be as high as three is to one. Furthermore, taking arthritis as a whole, it affects approximately 70 million adults, or roughly 1 in 3 Americans.

The main age group that needs arthritis treatment and arthritis pain relief is the 25 to 50 year old group. Arthritis relief for all should be made a priority, and that can start with natural alternatives to treatment.