How Can I Manage Pain from My Arthritis?
Arthritis is a condition in which a person suffers from chronic pain and joint inflammation. When pain lasts for months to years, it becomes severe and remains for a lifetime. Pain may be constant or come and go, but it can cause you to seek medical treatment from our orthopedic surgeon in Lake Mary. Arthritis patients go through difficulties while performing house cleaning, dressing, or looking after children. These are a few of the most common ways to treat your pain and discomfort caused by arthritis.
Maintain Your Weight
Your weight can also add to the stress on your joints when you suffer from arthritis. Being overweight will affect your joints, knees, or hips and cause more pain. Losing weight reduces the stress on your joints, improves your flexibility, and reduces future joint pain.
Stay Active
When you have arthritis then, exercise will help you to reduce pain. By doing exercise, you can maintain your weight, encourage flexibility in your joints, and strengthen your muscles. This will provide your joints with the support and stability you need to stay active and safe. Some of the low-impact exercises are the following.
- Walking
- Cycling
- Swimming
- Tai chi
- Water activities
- Yoga
- Elliptical cardio
Use Hot and Cold Therapy
These two types of treatments provide you relief from aching and swelling, especially if you use them in conjunction.
Heat treatments
- Heat treatments are meant to take a long warm shower.
- Take a bath in the morning to reduce stiffness.
- Electric blankets also reduce pain.
- Heating pads are also used to relieve joint pain.
Cold treatments
- Relieve joint pain, tenderness, puffiness
- Use a gel ice pack or frozen vegetable pack in a towel for quick relief from joint pain.
- Don't directly use ice on joints.
Try Acupuncture
Acupuncture is an old Chinese treatment in which thin needles are inserted into the body strategically to treat pains. It provides headache relief, enhances your mood, improves your sleeping routine, and boosts your energy. Hire licensed and certified acupuncture to carry out this treatment.
Eat a Balanced Diet
A healthy diet rich in vitamins, protein, and nutrients can boost your immune system and overall health. A diet consisting of plant-based things and contains antioxidants reduces pain and puffiness and removes radicals from the body. You should take fresh fruit, juices and vegetables that will impact your health.
Get a Massage
Massage can provide relief to the arthritis patient. They get comfort, and pain can be reduced. Massage can also reduce your stress. You can hire a massage therapist who can treat people who have arthritis. A physical therapist can also help you to do self-massage.
Take Supplements
You should take herbal supplements to get relief from pain. Some of the herbs that alleviate pain or reduce inflammation include:
- Boswellia
- Bromelain
- Ginkgo
- Thunder god vine
Arthritis is a severe pain that causes inflammation and stiffness in joints. If pain remains for months to years, it can cause a reduced quality of life. To learn more about your arthritis, contact our orthopedic surgeon in Lake Mary today!