There are millions of people worldwide who suffer from arthritis. While it is often very painful, understand that there are steps you can take to lessen the effects of the symptoms. This article contains some information and advice that will enable you to live an enjoyable life, despite suffering from arthritis.
Learn as much as you can about the disease. The more you know about the symptoms and treatments for arthritis, the more of an active role you can play in your treatment plan. It can also help you to feel less alone, to read about what others with the condition are going through and what they’ve been trying.
Stretch your symptom-free joints every day. A warm shower followed by a gentle stretching routine will cause you to feel looser for the rest of the day. Warm, loose muscles will cause less stress on your joints, which means that you will suffer from fewer flare-ups and less pain throughout your day.
People with arthritis are dealing with both chronic pain and chronic fatigue. Set priorities for your day and stick to them. There will only be so much you can accomplish on a bad day. Figure out what’s most important and focus on getting that done, instead of trying to fight the pain and fatigue and do everything anyway.
It is important that you have enough calcium in your diet if you suffer from arthritis. Medical research has proven that inflammatory arthritis conditions are worse if a person does not have enough calcium in their diet. You can find calcium in many different foods, including milk, cheese, and ice cream.
Keeping an arthritis journal can actually help you control your symptoms. Each time your arthritis is bothering you, write about what you do that day in your journal. This way, you can start to see a pattern as to what is causing your arthritis pain so you can slow down on that activity.
It is important that you get the flu shot if you suffer from arthritis. Just like with many other chronic illnesses, arthritis symptoms will get much worse if you get the flu and could even land you in the hospital. The flu shot is a simple shot that you only have to get once a year.
Always be aware of your joints. Arthritis pain can make everyday tasks appear to be insurmountable. If you have trouble lifting items, slide them on the floor or ask for help. Take regular breaks to rest your joints and help decrease inflammation.
Exercise the proper amount, plus make sure you are doing the right types of exercises to help. In addition to maintaining your flexibility, regular exercise ensures that your body stays in a healthy state. You want the inflammation-reducing effects of good low-impact exercise, but you also want to avoid pushing yourself too hard. Stop exercising immediately if you feel pain.
Treat yourself to a massage to help your arthritis pain. Seeing a trained massage therapist can help soothe your sore muscles, reduce your swelling and inflammation. You can also see these same benefits at home by massaging the affected areas for just a few minutes a day. Make sure to use oils or creams to make it as gentle as possible.
Exercising regularly will do wonders for your energy levels when you are dealing with psoriatic arthritis. Try to aim for 15 to 30 minutes of exercise a day to give you more energy and keep your body healthy and your bones strong. Make sure to not overdo it and end up tiring yourself out.
Find a health care professional that you trust and are comfortable speaking with. Arthritis sufferers need to make frequent visits to the doctor to treat painful issues and get regular check ups. If you are not comfortable with your physician, you may not be entirely truthful or trusting of them, so find one that you enjoy working with.
Learn the information that is out there about your condition. When you get the diagnosis of your specific type of arthritis, hit the internet and all the sources that are offered, even pamphlets and brochures from the doctor’s office, all about arthritis and your specific type, so you know what you are dealing with and how to fight back.
Increasing your water intake will help with your arthritis. Drink anytime you get thirsty, and keep in mind that water will always be the most beneficial drink for your body. Avoid liquids that can cause dehydration, including those that contain caffeine.
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.
Some nutritional elements can relieve arthritis symptoms. It is now believed that there are some foods that can help your arthritis. Some of these options include food high in fiber and protein like beans, vegetables and fruits. A proper diet consisting of vegetables and fruits is extremely beneficial to the health of your body.
There is new evidence that taking fish-oil capsules may be as effective as taking naproxen or ibuprofen in helping relieve the symptoms of arthritis. The recommended dosage is usually 4 grams of fish oil a day. This translates into four standard capsules. Fish oil has been show to help with inflammation and pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis.
Determine what is causing the most pain and what activities are reducing your pain. If you can find out the triggers for pain and those things that are soothing the pain or aren’t causing inflammation, you can better balance your day and refrain from those activities that are causing you greater stress. This will improve your lifestyle as well, giving you a more healthy feeling from day to day that is pain free and enjoyable.
Discussion about this post