It’s hard to appreciate how significant the burden of arthritis is unless you’ve had to live with it. The pain can be excruciating, and it can feel as though it effects your life endlessly. Luckily, many people have learned ways to better manage arthritis. Here are some of the tips that they’ve shared.
High heels might not be worth it for women who have arthritis issues. While high heels may be stylish, they are bad for your feet and joints. Because high heels place added stress on your knees, it is best to avoid wearing them if you have arthritis. You can keep you arthritic pain at a minimum by wearing comfortable shoes. Your body will feel less pain if you treat it well.
Lie back, close your eyes and practice some deep breathing exercises. This will help you think happy thoughts and ignore the constant pain you are in.
Aromatherapy has been shown to reduce some of the pain associated with arthritis. Medical research has shown that aromatherapy helps to relax the joints and muscles in the human body, which in turn, helps to ease the pain and other symptoms of arthritis and other chronic conditions.
When you smoke, you will have less flexibility, and more chances for arthritis pain. The negative impact it has on your arthritis symptoms is just one more factor to motivate you to quit smoking today.
Do not stop a medication just because you feel it is not working. Most arthritis medicines take from days to months to truly make an impact on your symptoms. Never stop a new medicine without talking with your doctor first as there may be side effects from an abrupt withdrawal.
To manage your symptoms effectively, try a Mediterranean diet. Studies have shown that arthritis sufferers who change to this diet see their symptoms quickly decrease, and have a better feeling overall. The Mediterranean diet is high in healthy fats and grains, which your body needs to increase your flexibility and overall health.
Stretch everyday. One of the most common complaints associated with arthritis is an overall loss of muscle and joint elasticity. You can prevent this by stretching all your muscles everyday. Start out by stretching your feet, then work your way up your body until you reach your head.
Find a doctor, who is supportive of you starting a family with rheumatoid arthritis. Some rheumatologists are not comfortable providing advice or support for a woman having a child with this condition but don’t be discouraged. There are doctors out there who are knowledgeable about the challenges you will face.
Walking is an activity that helps arthritis in many aspects. Not only does it help your body to release any tensions it may have, but it also helps by stretching out weak joints and muscles. If it is possible, try to talk a 20 to 30 minute walk every day.
You should always sleep as much as your body desires. You will feel much better after getting a full nights sleep because your body was able to properly rest and repair itself. If the pain from your arthritis is preventing you from falling asleep, try to minimize any distractions in your bedroom, such as light, noise, cell phone and television.
As someone with arthritis, you will regularly be trying new treatments and methods to take care of your pain. Ascertain what your actual level of pain is. Many utilize the tool of rating pain on a scale that numbers from zero to ten. Therefore, you are able to tell where you were before the new treatment and where you end up after the treatment.
New studies have shown that eating foods high in omega-3s will help with arthritis. If you are not a fan of fish and seafood, then you can still reap the benefits of omega-3s by taking a daily fish oil supplement. It has an additional benefit for helping people who are high risk for cardiovascular disease as well.
Many people with arthritis have found that taking yoga classes and learning how to practice it at home can help with arthritis pain. Yoga emphasizes stretching and whole body well-being. This will help you improve motion and make your joints feel better. The Arthritis Foundation recommends using yoga to help with arthritis.
Many people have found heat and cold treatments to be very good therapy for arthritis. Try using an old pure cotton sock filled with dry rice as an easy, mess-free method of applying either heat or cold. Put it in a plastic bag in the freezer to prepare for cold therapy. Pop it in the microwave briefly to prepare it for heat therapy.
Smoking can increase your risk for different forms of arthritis which means you should cut back or quit altogether. The health benefits of quitting smoking are important overall of course, however, the prevention of potential joint damage or other more severe symptoms associated with arthritis are good reasons to drop the habit.
When suffering from severe arthritis symptoms, try looking into getting some physical therapy. If your doctor can prescribe it, it is possible that it will be covered by your health insurance. Although it is typically a short term option, physical therapy can help you gain enough strength and movement to begin a proper exercise program.
Determine what is causing the most pain and what activities are reducing your pain. If you can find out the triggers for pain and those things that are soothing the pain or aren’t causing inflammation, you can better balance your day and refrain from those activities that are causing you greater stress. This will improve your lifestyle as well, giving you a more healthy feeling from day to day that is pain free and enjoyable.
Those without arthritis may not understand what you’re going through, but plenty of others do. Be sure to take full advantage of the advice available. While nothing can completely eliminate your problems, you’ll be amazed at how much some of these tips can help. Use this shared knowledge to make your burden a little bit lighter.
