Is Arthritis Cramping Your Style? Try These Ideas For Relief!
Involve others in your quest to get rid of your arthritis. Finding other people who have suffered as you do can help you learn new ways to cope. Below you will find proven advice for arthritis management.
Even if you aren’t currently experiencing an arthritis flare-up, adjust your motions to protect your joints. Taking care of joints that are symptom-free now, will lead to less pain later. Use good posture, use larger joints instead of smaller ones, and don’t ever assume that even a small task is an acceptable risk.
Combination hot/cold packs can be used to alleviate joint pain. For the most effective results, you should alternate between hot and cold methods. Ask your doctor about what he recommends when you use cold and heat to soothe your pain.
If you are a woman who suffers from arthritis in your back, you may want to think about changing what bras you wear. Believe it or not, certain bras can make your arthritis worse by putting pressure on your back. There are actually bras that are made just for women with arthritis.
For people who suffer from chronic arthritis, be careful when choosing a pet for your family. Remember, if your arthritis is acting up or even gets worse, it may be hard for you to care for your pet. Instead, you may want to consider getting a pet that is easier to take care, such as a fish.
The pain and discomfort of arthritis can often be soothed by calm, peaceful music. Soothing music helps your body relax and that softens the pain you feel. In addition, this music can make you fall asleep faster, since arthritis is known to keep its sufferers awake most of the night.
Be sure to look on the bright side and smile frequently. If you want to lift your spirits and ease your stress, try watching a comedy, reading a humorous book or sharing funny stories with your family and friends. Smile and laugh whenever possible to feel happy, positive and physically better.
Eat light foods. Eating heavy meals can make anyone feel slow and sluggish, and that effect is multiplied on those that suffer from arthritis. Having a light soup instead of a heavy steak can keep you feeling peppy and positive instead of fatigued and painful, so skip anything that may be too much.
Always use proper form when you are exercising. Having an improper grip or stance can put massive amounts of stress on your joints, so you should always try to begin exercising at a gym or therapist’s office. These professionals can correct the way you are exercising, and prevent you from causing unnecessary injuries.
Add ginger to your food. Ginger is well known for relieving inflammation and stiffness, so adding a few grams a day to your foods can help you reap the benefits of this healthy plant. Ginger and honey drinks are the best method, as honey also gives some of the same benefits.
While cleaning the house is important, it should not be done all at once, without breaks, and without the help of other family members. Different activities performed while cleaning the house are relentless and awkward, producing unneeded stress on the body. While the house must be clean, do it the right way.
Arthritis takes many forms and can include Rheumatoid, Psoriatic or Osteoarthritis. Each arthritis type has its own types of symptoms, and requires different, specialized treatments.
Do not use your hands if you don’t have to. Even if they are not currently bothering you, protect them as much as possible; if you can open a door by pushing it with you shoulder, do so. This will help lessen the amount of pain that you feel in your joints and allow you to lead a more regular life.
One if the big factors that has been linked to arthritis and decreasing your overall health is smoking. Do not smoke. This lifestyle factor has been associated and known to cause severe joint damage when coupled with people who have arthritis. So improve your health and make your joints feel better by not smoking.
By staying fit and active, you will help your arthritis to remain at bay. If weight bearing exercises give you problems, then try a class in water aerobics. As you exercise, the water will aid in supporting you and it will also massage you. Joining a water aerobics class is an easy way to relieve your pain while possibly making some new, supportive friends.
You can alleviate some of your arthritis pain by choosing a vegetarian or vegan diet. A vegetarian or vegan diet may greatly improve your arthritis symptoms, including pain and stiffness. It is believed that the antioxidants found in green vegetables protects against the pain of arthritis.
Do not be afraid to ask for help when dealing with arthritis pain. Many people are more than willing to help and all you have to do is ask. Maybe a neighbor could deliver your mail for you, or a trusted friend can help you with chores around the home. There are always people who are willing to help if you just ask.
When you smoke, you will increase your chance of suffering from arthritis. If you smoke, you may want to quit. It can be difficult to give up smoking, but doing so will make a big difference. If you cannot quit smoking, reducing your smoking will be helpful to your general health and might also help reduce some of the pain you experience from arthritis.
There is nothing wrong with getting a little sympathy from your family and friends to help you through the rough patches with arthritis. They can be a shoulder to cry on, bring meals or do your shopping for you, and a helping hand into the bathtub for a warm shower never hurt.
Education is the key for staving off the grip that arthritis has on your life. Your life will be much more enjoyable when you learn practical methods for reducing your arthritis symptoms and slowing the condition’s progression. The advice offered here has given you a foundation to use when learning about your arthritis, and how you can better deal with it.
