Top Tips on How to Manage Arthritis Pain
Top tips on how to manage arthritic pain start with...
1. Keeping Active - try and keep as active as possible. Even a little exercise daily can help you stay at a healthier weight which then helps with arthritis. It also helps to reduce stiffness in your joints.
2. Get a good night's sleep - if this isn't possible then getting a rest every afternoon will still help. I struggle with pain at night but have a rest every afternoon and usually manage a couple of hours sleep. My fit watch adds the two hours I have had to my daily sleep which makes my rest periods much healthier. It helps you to manage your pain, and allows your body to repair damaged tissue.
3. Look after your mental well-being - this can be done in many different ways from meditation, reading, journaling, or learn coping skills and other strategies. Positive thinking is a very powerful tool.
4. Hot and Cold Therapy - Applying both cold and heat to a sore joint can be effective ways to reduce pain. Heat is good to relax the muscles around a joint. If the joint is hot and swollen, opt for a cold pack. Place a cloth or thin towel between the cold pack and your skin. I personally rely on my heat pad as I just cannot manage cold but I have one upstairs by my bed and one downstairs and could honestly not live without them.
5. Maintain a healthy weight - Losing excess weight and staying at a healthy weight is particularly important for people with arthritis. For people who are overweight or obese, losing weight reduces stress on joints, particularly weight bearing joints like the hips and knees. In fact, losing as little as 10 to 12 pounds can reduce pain and improve physical function for people with arthritis. At any age, low-impact, arthritis-friendly physical activity (for example, walking) combined with healthy dietary changes can help you lose weight.
Learn about managing your weight at CDC’s Healthy Weight website.
Some lifestyle changes can help you manage pain and they include the same tips as above but also say Get vitamin C. Studies have shown that vitamin C may be helpful in managing inflammation in the body. So dig into an orange or pour yourself a glass of grapefruit juice each day.
Avoid alcohol. Don't medicate yourself with alcohol to manage pain; it will only create more problems, and add calories to your diet.
Healthline suggest trying hot and cold therapy (details on this on their website), try acupuncture or meditation and include the right fatty acids for your diet. Everyone needs omega-3 fatty acids in their diet for optimum health. These fats also help your arthritis. Fish oil supplements, which are high in omega-3s, have been shown to reduce joint stiffness and pain. Also try adding turmeric to your recipes.
Another tip is to get a massage. Regular massaging of arthritic joints can help reduce pain and stiffness and improve your range of motion. Work with a physical therapist to learn self-massage, or schedule appointments with a massage therapist regularly.
Source: CDC, Healthline