Joint pain can severely limit your range of motion, impacting your ability to perform daily activities. When something as simple as getting out of bed is painful, adding everything else you’d like to do is difficult, if not impossible.
Our independence in life depends on the health of our bones, so keeping them healthy is vital.
If you received an arthritis diagnosis, you may have some questions. One of the first may be, “How can I make it stop hurting so much?” This may be closely followed by wondering about how arthritis will affect your life over the long term.
The good news is there’s a lot you can do.
What is Arthritis?
Arthritis is a general term. It refers to one of over 100 conditions that affect the joints. Some types are caused by overuseor trauma, others by degenerative diseases, and still others are because of an immune system that went haywire.
No matter what caused your arthritis, you may experience joint pain, stiffness, and swelling. These symptoms can range from a little morning stiffness to being debilitating. Here are five ways you can reduce arthritis pain.
If arthritis pain affects your life, you’re probably looking for relief. Arthritis affects over 53.2 million people in the United States. It is a leading cause of joint pain in adults over 65 years old. Let’s look at several ways you can reduce arthritis pain and get back to living.
1. Exercise
If you live a sedentary lifestyle, that lack of activity will make you even stiffer. Regular exercise will help reduce the pain and stiffness that accompanies arthritis.
Keeping your muscles strong and healthy eases the strain your joints experience. They also support your body weight and help keep you from getting stiff in the first place. Here are several exercises that can help keep arthritis pain at bay.
- Yoga
- Tai Chi
- Walking
- Lifting weights
- Swimming
- Gentle stretches
2. Maintain a Healthy Weight
The heavier you are, the more stress your joints are under. Every pound you’re overweight adds four pounds of pressure on your joints. So, if you’re carrying an extra 30 pounds, your joints, especially the hip and knees, must handle 120 pounds of additional stress. When you’re already in pain, every little bit can help, as a 2018 study on 240 overweight and obese patients showed.
3. Eat a Healthy Diet
We’re not talking about fad diets. We’re referring to eating in a way that supports your body and reduces inflammation.Foods with anti-inflammatory properties are best for reducing arthritis pain. They provide antioxidants and nutrients your body needs for optimal health.
Foods to eat: Ginger, turmeric, berries, spinach, tart cherry juice, olive oil, walnuts, and avocado.
Foods to avoid: Processed meats, white breads, and sugary drinks.
4. Use Hot and Cold Treatments
Heat and ice are classic home remedies for many ailments affecting the muscles and joints. Heat improves circulation, so sitting in a hot tub, taking a warm bath or shower, or applying a heating pad on your joints will help reduce stiffness.
On the other hand, if you’re having a flare-up, with swelling and acute pain, heat isn’t the answer and may make your pain worse. In these cases, cold treatments can reduce swelling and numb the nerve endings. An ice pack wrapped in a towel can do the trick.
5. Topical Medications
Different types of gels, creams, and patches will ease arthritis symptoms. However, you should consult with your doctor before using them. Some active ingredients can be absorbed into your bloodstream and you don’t want to complicate an existing illness.
Also, don’t apply ointments before using a hot or cold treatment. It may change your perception of heat or cold. The last thing you need on top of arthritis pain is to damage your skin.
Topical creams that include the following active ingredients may help:
- Capsaicin Derived from chili peppers, capsaicin works well on neuropathic pain.
- Menthol, camphor, and lidocaine: All three of these ingredients work similarly. They reduce pain by numbing the pain receptors.
- Trolamine salicylate: Targets joint inflammation.
- Diclofenac sodium: Reduces inflammation around joints.
Everyone responds a little differently to things, so be mindful. Pay attention to any changes and let your doctor know.
One of the most common problems with topical pain relievers is discovering a skin sensitivity. If you notice a skin reaction, stop using it and either talk with your doctor or try another one.
Arthritis Do’s and Don’ts
An arthritis diagnosis can be a little frightening, so learn everything you can about your type of arthritis. After all, knowledge is power and often reduces stress. Here are a few things you can do to get the best treatment plan started and manage your condition:
Among the arthritis do’s, are the following:
- Share all symptoms with your doctor—even if you think it’s unrelated.
- Keep a healthy posture—no slouching at the computer.
- Quit smoking and limit alcohol consumption.
- Make regular exercise part of an active lifestyle.
- Get enough sleep — sleep is restorative and is when our bodies do the most healing.
- Eat Omega-3s fatty acids and consider a vitamin supplement that includes B6.
As for the things you should avoid:
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Becoming dependent on over-the-counter medications
- Fried and processed foods
- High-impact activities, such as jumping or running.
At its worst, arthritis is debilitating, but there are always options. Keeping your body moving and strong is one of the best things you can do to prevent arthritis symptoms from worsening. In some cases it can even rewind the clock, reducing them to a manageable level.
When you need help managing your symptoms, make an appointment with one of our doctors. Our caring staff can help keep you active and healthy.