Dealing with arthritis can be difficult — it’s frustrating to have to stop what you’re doing because of pain. There are times when living with arthritis might seem overwhelming or even unmanageable, but it doesn’t have to be. Review our top tips for arthritis pain relief to help control the discomfort you feel and do more of what you love.
5 Tips for Arthritis Pain Relief
1. Move Around More
This tip might seem counterintuitive at first — after all, arthritis makes it hurt to move. But getting up and about throughout the day will actually activate and relax your joints, relieving pain in the long term. If this seems like a big step, it doesn’t have to be. You can make small changes in your everyday life that let you move more, like taking a short walk with a friend a few times a week.
We also encourage you to try light weight lifting and water exercises. Water — especially warm water — is great for your joints. Your doctor or a physical therapist can help create an exercise plan that fits your personal goals and fitness level.
2. Maintain Your Weight
Maintaining a healthy weight is one of our top tips for arthritis pain relief. Being overweight can cause more arthritis pain, as extra weight puts extra pressure on a person’s joints. Plus, the fat in the body itself can release chemicals that inflame the joints, causing further pain. That means it’s important for people with arthritis to maintain a healthy weight. Staying in a healthy weight range will help reduce the discomfort and pain arthritis brings.
3. Eat the Right Nutrients
That said, not all fat is bad. In fact, some fatty acids are important for a healthy diet, especially if you have arthritis. Healthy fats like omega-3 can help ease the pressure on your joints. This fatty acid is found in lots of fish, but you can take a daily fish oil supplement to get the nutrient regularly.
Another arthritis-fighting nutrient is vitamin D. This vitamin is key to maintaining healthy joints and bones. To include it in your diet, make sure you’re eating eggs and dairy. However, you can find this nutrient in supplement form too. Be sure to ask your physician’s advice before taking supplements of any kind.
4. Stretch Daily
Like exercise, stretching your inflamed joints might sound painful at first, but it will really help minimize discomfort. On the days when you’re not in pain, make it a point to stretch your whole body (though not so much that the stretching hurts). Your physician or a physical therapist can help design a stretching regiment that will ease your pain.
5. Rest Up
Finally, one of the best things you can do for your arthritis is simply getting enough rest. Those who don’t get enough sleep on a particular night have a much higher chance of experiencing pain the following day, so this tip is essential.
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Living with arthritis can be quite the challenge sometimes, but we hope that by learning about the best tips for arthritis pain relief, you’re able to ease your discomfort and get back to loving life.
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