Article by:
Amelia Grant
Arthritis is a condition characterized by joint pain and inflammation. Depending on the type of arthritis your symptoms may develop over time or hit at a particular moment. But regardless of the arthritis type, joint pain can cause a lot of discomforts and decrease the quality of your everyday life. Your doctor can prescribe medications to ease arthritic pain, but taking medications without additional measures isn’t the best way to a healthy life with arthritis.
Learn more about the best ways to relieve arthritis-related joint pain.
1. Follow your medication plan
There are many reasons why people with arthritis don’t take their medications as prescribed. It can be due to high cost, poor effect, or unpleasant side effects. Between 35% and 85% of people with arthritis don’t usually take their medications as prescribed. Failing to take medications or taking them incorrectly might result in arthritis flare-ups and joint damage. Because arthritis progresses slowly, it can be difficult for you to understand if the drugs aren’t working.
2. Lose excess weight
Weight has a significant impact on the health of your joints. Extra weight can add pressure to the joints in your knees, hips, and feet. Besides, excess body fat can increase overall body inflammation and worsen arthritis symptoms. Losing weight is crucial for healthier joints and less pain. If you have obesity, your doctor may refer you to a weight loss surgeon.
Significant and sustained weight reduction after bariatric surgery lowers joint pressure. It usually helps people with arthritis reduce pain and improve mobility significantly.
3. Exercise regularly
Exercise can help you control your weight and keep your joints flexible. Besides, regular physical activity helps strengthen the muscles around your joints, which provides extra support and reduces pressure on your joints. For this reason, it is highly recommended for all people with arthritis to begin an effective exercise regimen. Exercising with a coach or another specialist may be particularly useful since it boosts motivation.
4. Eat healthily
Dietary choices can have a great impact on the overall well-being of people with arthritis. A plant-based diet that includes fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole foods, can help you decrease inflammation and ease joint pain. A diet high in red meat, processed foods, saturated fat, added sugar, and salt, on the other hand, may increase arthritis-related inflammation and worsen your pain.
These foods can also lead to other serious health problems like obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and others. These conditions can aggravate arthritis and decrease the quality of your life even more.
5. Try heat and cold
Heat and cold therapies can help treat arthritic pain and relieve inflammation. Heat therapies might include taking a warm bath in the morning, sleeping with an electric blanket, or using a wet heating pad. Heat therapy encourages blood flow to the affected area, relieves swelling, boosts healing, and promotes better movements.
Cold therapies can aid in the relief of joint discomfort, edema, and inflammation. Wrap a bag of frozen veggies in a towel and apply it to sore joints for immediate relief. You can alternate heat and cold therapies for a better effect.
6. Add supplements to your diet
Several nutritional supplements have the potential to alleviate arthritis pain, stiffness, and other symptoms. Supplements recommended for people with arthritis include glucosamine, chondroitin, omega-3 fatty acids, SAM-e, and curcumin. If you want to use vitamins, take them as an addition to your arthritis medication plan, not as a substitute treatment option. They should never be used instead of prescribed medications.
Before trying any new supplement, be sure to consult your doctor to ensure that it is appropriate for you and that you are taking a safe amount. In addition, go through your whole supplement and medication list with your pharmacist to rule out the risk of any potential interactions.