I'd like to offer up a personal anecdote vis-a-vis supplements and other natural, non-prescription remedies. I've been coping with bi-lateral osteoarthritis since about the age of 25 (I'm 42, now). Very athletic my entire life but the onset of OA brought most high-impact physical activity to a screeching halt. Even walking for extended periods of time would cause terrible inflammation and loss of mobility for several days. Long story short, put myself on Chondroitin Sulfate and Glucosamine about 10 years ago and stayed on it for 6 months (haven't used it since because I haven't had to). I can now engage in very strenuous physical activity and have been studying Krav Maga (Israeli martial arts)for the past 5 years without any swelling or stiffness. I believe the supplements stopped and reversed my arthritis.
Another alternative medicine story. My husband has gout. He found out about it in 1995. When he went to the emergency room he had to be wheeled in because his toe hurt so badly. The prescribed medication didn't make his foot feel better, but did keep him in the bathroom for a long time. A woman at his job suggested he try tea tree oil. He ditched the medicine and tried the tea tree. It worked within a day. Since then he keeps a supply of cherries (another good gout fighter) and tea tree around to keep it from reoccuring too badly.