Arthritis And You: A Users Manual To Living

Millions of people suffer from arthritis every day. It affects different individuals to different degrees; certain diagnoses are life-threatening, and sufferers can have anything from mild pain to serious health conditions that threaten their lives.

If you’re a woman with arthritis, you may not want to wear high heels. High heels might look nice, but they can cause a lot of damage to your feet and legs. Because high heels place added stress on your knees, it is best to avoid wearing them if you have arthritis. Choose more supportive shoes and you can expect your arthritis pain to lessen. Your feet, knees and ankles will appreciate it.

You need to brush up on managing time management skills or adding light exercise to help you cope with stress.

Remember to take care of your body. Arthritis pain can make everyday tasks seem difficult. Instead of lifting, slide them across floors or counters, or find help. You can eliminate pain by keeping yourself from irritation and inflammation.

Always get enough sleep if you have arthritis. If you don’t sleep, your body’s defenses against arthritis are weakened. Get at least 8 hours every night, and even more after a very stressful day. Getting good quality sleep will benefit your health in many ways.

TIP! Do not skimp on sleep if you are suffering from arthritis. Without it, your body can never fight back against the painful effects of arthritis.

Try to eat more vegetables in your diet and cut out some of the meat. If it’s too hard for you to give up meat, be sure to load up half of your plate with veggies in order to get the same benefits as those who eat them more regularly.

A physical therapist can provide you with a customized workout that will alleviate your arthritis pain. Adhere to the plan so you can reclaim your life back on course.

Keep a daily journal of your rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. A journal will help you determine what triggers acute pain, and which treatments are most effective. You can figure out what works for you. You should also take this diary along when you visit your doctor, so that he has more information to build a better treatment plan with you. This simple technique can be a powerful tool for managing your arthritis.

TIP! Try keeping a journal or diary is you suffer from the symptoms of arthritis. Keeping track of your daily activities in a diary will help you remember what triggers flare ups.

Electrical stimulation may be an option for those with your doctor if you have osteoarthritis in one or both of their knees. This technique has been shown to be great at reducing pain and swelling in the knees.

Being overweight with arthritis can cause painful swelling and inflammation if you have arthritis. Excess weight puts an additional load on your strained joints and worsen arthritis symptoms. Losing some weight reduces incidents and frequency of pressure off your joints.

If you suffer from arthritis, both emotionally and physically, consider therapy. Therapy is a great way to help out with your arthritis, as it lets you know that you aren’t alone and you can get through this problem. Suffering from arthritis can also cause people to get depressed. Therapy can help them cope with this, whether in one on one sessions or as a member in group therapy.

Let your friends and family know what you’re dealing with arthritis.

Take steps to slim down and weight loss if these are out of shape or overweight. Weight can play a role in causing arthritis, and shedding some unwanted pounds can relieve both pain and symptoms. Even losing just a couple pounds will make a difference in your level of pain.

If you are suffering from psoriatic arthritis, you need to reduce how much you do. Your level of energy will not be what it once was. Trying to pretend that they are will just cause your symptoms to worsen. Focus on subjects that you value most. Focus on what is important to you, and do not waste your time trying to fulfill all the roles people are expecting you to.

Set up a small timer.

Make sure that you have a good giggle on a regular basis. You can keep your mood high and your stress levels down by reading light-hearted books, laughing with your family and friends, or watching a movie that makes you laugh. Laughter will make a noticeable difference in reducing your stress and pain because of the best allies against arthritis pain.

Buy specialized equipment to help you do daily tasks. Performing everyday tasks is possible for arthritic sufferers if they have the proper tools. There are plenty of products on the market specifically designed to help arthritis sufferers: zippers, shoe horns, pens and can openers, to name but a few. Invest in the right tools and make life easier.

Castor Oil

Castor oil rubbed into your joints can be an effective way to reduce the joint pain that you get from arthritis. The act of massaging increases circulation in the area and will work to reduce swelling, while the castor oil helps with stiffness.

If your knees suffer from arthritis, consider using a knee brace as an alternative to surgical solutions. Many people have used knee braces to provide effective relief from pain and swelling, and surgery should always be the option of last resort. You may even wear it while you sleep.

This may help you some insight on what kinds of behaviors or actions are triggering arthritis flare-ups.

You doctor will be better able to treat your arthritis treatment program and make changes when needed. With over a hundred different variations of arthritis and lots of arthritis patients, there are endless variations in pain levels, the types of therapies and treatments for each different need are vast. You need to be aware of what treatments are out there and what is a treatment that fits your needs.

If you’re suffering from arthritis and need to perform a strenuous task, try finding some type of device to assist you. If you are lifting large objects or have a long period of standing ahead of you, you want to take the best precaution to protect your joints from excess pressures that can damage them further. More joint damage ultimately means pain that is much more severe; the best thing to do is get relief from excessive strenuous activity and pressure before reaching that point.

Try eating a vegetarian or vegan to alleviate arthritis pain. Many vegetarians have claimed that not eating meat can help get rid of their arthritis symptoms due to arthritis.

Strength Training

Make sure that your family and friends are aware of what you are going through with your arthritis. If your loved ones are made aware of what you are dealing with, they will better understand your needs and can in turn offer helpful support and aid. If they know you feel stiff or are in pain, they may make allowances for you.

TIP! Share your arthritis experience with your friends and your loved ones. This will help them help you better all around.

Some research has indicated that weight training may be a viable tool in managing the symptoms of arthritis.Moderate or even high-intensity strength training can improve many things such as fitness and allow your muscles to function at a greater capacity on a daily basis. Strength training takes some time to see results and is best thought of as a long term commitment for optimum affect.

As you can see, you do not have to allow arthritis to control your life. You can still enjoy a variety of activities and pleasures, even when you suffer from arthritis. Use the above tips to get the pain under control. If you do, you might even be able to walk across the country with no problems.

Try to laugh when you can. Share jokes with those around you, watch funny movies, enjoy time with your pets and your children to lower stress levels and bring a smile to your face. Laughter causes the brain to trigger endorphin release, which will elevate your mood and help ease arthritis pain.