For anyone who suffers from arthritis, the daily pain involved makes arthritis a very important topic. Although there is a wealth of information available on the Internet, it is difficult to wade through the plethora of information to glean what’s worthwhile. This article is meant to provide you with succinct tips and advice on arthritis.
If you have arthritis, try reducing your caffeine intake. Some people are extremely sensitive to arthritis. In those individuals, reducing the consumption of caffeine can have a positive effect on arthritis symptoms. Reduce the amount of caffeine you consume gradually to best gauge if your results will be positive ones.
Stay away from heating pads if your arthritis is flaring up. All they are going to do is make your symptoms worse. Instead, apply a cold compress to the area where your arthritis is located. You could even wrap a package of frozen peas or another frozen vegetable in a towel and apply to the area.
Stretching should be a daily activity to keep your arthritis symptoms under control. You can prevent injuries just by spending 10 minutes a day stretching all of your major muscle groups. These stretches warm up for your muscles and tendons making them less likely to sustain an injury.
Cigarettes have actually been shown to cause a loss in flexibility, as well as increasing the chances that your arthritis will flare up. When you realize that smoking may affect your arthritis in a negative way, quitting may not seem so difficult.
Find a support group. Suffering from arthritis can make you feel like an invisible and lonely victim, even when you are not. Joining a support group of others who have the same condition can help you feel better about it, as well as give you a way to share ideas for coping.
Instead of dwelling on the activities you can’t do with with your children if you suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, spend time finding things that you can do together. Just because you can’t go running around the park with them, doesn’t make you a bad parent. Take them to the pool or read stories together. The most important thing is that you spend time together, not how you spend it.
When used with a combination of medicines and other treatments, hypnosis has been proven to help with arthritis. Although doctors are not sure why, patient studies have shown that hypnosis can ease arthritis pain in up to 75% of patients. It is recommended that patients have three rounds of hypnotherapy for the most effective results.
For those that have arthritis in their knees, Hyaluronic acid injections are a great option. Because people who have arthritis in their knees are lacking lubrication to keep their joints in top condition, these injections are a great way to give knees lubrication. Speak with your doctor before taking these injections.
Drink enough water. You should drink water every time you feel thirsty as water is easily the best thing you can drink. Stay away from dehydrating liquids containing caffeine.
Purchase an ergonomic knife that is designed to help you cut and slice with ease without putting a strain on your joints. These knives give you better leverage so that you can use your body weight to do your cutting instead of using your joints in a repetitive fashion.
When you are suffering from arthritis, you’re going to need to try new ideas regarding treatment until you find what works for you. Rate your pain from 1 to 10 before you start your treatment. This approach could enable you to rate progress both before and after trying new methods of dealing with the problem.
Take a yoga class. Yoga involves stretching, and its exercises focus on all parts of the body. This can be very beneficial to individuals who are suffering from arthritis; although there is not a lot of research in this area yet, the Arthritis Foundation does encourage patients to try yoga and see if it works for them.
Look into LED light therapy if you suffer from arthritis. You will find that LED devices provide a convenient way to reduce the pain of arthritis, and can be purchased for a reasonable price. LED devices can be purchased in most drugstores or department stores. Using LED light therapy twice a day for 15 – 30 minutes can make a huge difference.
You need a network of friends and family you can rely upon when dealing with chronic pain. Make sure that you have a doctor that you can check up with regularly to monitor your arthritis. Make sure that your friends and family understand your situation, too, so that they can provide you with moral support and assistance.
Find out more about your condition. Doctors usually know what they are doing, but you can face this condition better if you educate yourself about it. You should find out what causes your arthritis and look for things you can do to ease the pain or improve your condition, that your doctor might not know about.
Keep your back straight, and do not slouch, or hunch over, if it can be avoided. Regardless of the things you put in your body or the amount of exercise you do, what really matters most when it comes to arthritis pain is your posture. Your feet should be placed a minimum of 12″ apart and you should keep your back straight when you are seated. These simple changes will keep your posture correct and reduce your risk of joint pain and inflammation.
Getting a good amount of exercise should help you control your arthritis; however, you need to be aware of the type of exercises you do. Some types of exercise can actually do damage to your joints. You should take up walking, bike riding or swimming. Sports such as tennis that you need to play with your hands for are not recommended.
Discussion about this post