Ease Arthritis Pain with These Tips
Arthritis is a serious condition that comes in many different forms; in total, arthritis affects 50 million Americans. The most common form of arthritis is Osteoarthritis, affecting 27 million Americans, the majority of which (17 million) are women. Arthritis can represent a number of diseases and conditions, all of which cause pain in your joints and surrounding tissues. On average,
people don’t typically develop arthritis until after the age of 40, although there is no official age limit and arthritis can start at any time. Commonly associated with old age, arthritis is anything but a condition reserved for the elderly. In fact 2/3 of people currently diagnosed with arthritis are under 65 years old. 300,000 of these individuals are children. Find More. This means many people live a good deal of their life with arthritis, so how do they manage their pain?
There are plenty of great medications on the market but these can’t always do the trick alone. To live your best life possible, here we provide great tips to help ease arthritis pain.
1. Create An Exercise Plan And Stick To It
Arthritis might make you want to hole up under the covers and not move a muscle, but when we become inactive arthritis can get the best of us, plus a sedentary life brings about other health issues too. Work with a doctor to create a workout plan that works for you. Ditch the heavy weights and start slow, many arthritis patients find pool exercises and yoga are beneficial because you are working with your own body instead of foreign objects that can cause further joint strain. You don’t have to prepare for the Olympics here, something as small as incorporating a morning walk full of stretching can be enough to help keep you physically fit with your arthritis in check.
2. Start Your Day With Stretching & Warm Water
In the morning our body is often the tightest, so loosen up with some stretches before starting your day. If you are feeling overly tight (commonly those with RA are very stiff in the morning), you can take a warm shower first to help relax your muscles and joints before stretching. Remember, with or without stretching, soaking in warm water can always help relieve tension and pain.
3. Hot Wax Helps Ease Arthritis Pain
Putting your hands in a bucket of warm wax isn’t just about creating cool art sculptures; it also helps ease arthritis pain. The warming effect of the wax reduces inflammation, which is directly related to arthritis pain. Hot wax treatments are even more beneficial than taking a warm bath or shower, hot wax will stick to every crevice of your hand, or affected body part, for more impactful relief.
4. Keep Your Weight Down
Some research hints to the possibility that excess fat tissue can create a chemical that sparks inflammation. And with arthritis, you want to avoid inflammation as best as you can. Plus, extra weight only places strain on your body, especially in joints that are prone to arthritis such as your hips, knees, or back. Managing arthritis pain is all about respecting your body, and excess weight makes your body work harder and thus suffer more wear and tear. Discover More 10 ways to ease arthritis pain
5. Avoid Certain Foods With Arthritis
Did you know your arthritis could get worse or better depending on the foods you eat? Certain foods are known to increase inflammation when consumed, and therefore can lead to heightened arthritis pain. Everyone is different; a food journal can help you uncover your personal trigger foods.
The most common foods you want to avoid if you have arthritis include:
- Processed foods
- Salt (foods with high sodium content)
- Fried, oily foods
- Sugars
- Corn oil
6. Listen To Music To Reduce Pain
When your elbow is aching, music might seem like a weak answer for help, but medical research proves music helps to ease arthritis pain. Just be careful what type of music you decide to listen to, fast songs can increase your heart rate, which can actually exacerbate your pain. In order to reap the most benefits from music, find a selection that calms your heart rate down, you want to listen to something you can relax to. As your body begins to loosen up, so too will painfully inflamed joints.
7. Topical Medication Patches to Ease Arthritis Pain
There are a number of prescription topical creams and patches that can help ease arthritis pain on the surface. While it has yet to be proven, some believe that these medicated patches don’t carry as many negative side effects as oral arthritis medications. Topical NSAIDS numb your nerve endings, thus reducing your pain, while also decreasing inflammation around your joints.
Need help managing your arthritis pain? We’d love to help you! Contact Urgent Medical Center for the compassionate arthritis treatment you deserve.
