Although there are many 'alternative' ways to relieve rheumatic and arthritic pain, another one cropped up recenty. Red bell peppers/capsicums can be crushed and mixed with a gel or cream to make a pain relief cream/gel/ointment for arthritic and rheumatic joints. It's a similar action to chillies, but with a different slant. Something to do with the capsaicin in the peppers, we're told.
Still prefer treatments that work on the whole system, but some forms of arthritis and rheumatism, including rheumatoid arthritis, may be beyond complete healing after a while.
