Chronic pain makes it very difficult for arthritis patience to manage simple tasks, such as opening jars. If you find this to be true, read on. This article contains information that, if used, can help you manage your arthritis and live an easier life.

Poor exercise shoes will only worsen arthritis. Shoes that are at the end of their life cause your body weight to be distributed unevenly. They are also unduly hard on your leg joints, making arthritis problems there worse. If there’s noticeable wear, especially on the soles, replace them with new workout shoes.

Talk to your doctor before stopping or starting a medication. You might have to wait a few weeks before a medication starts working or completely disappears from your system.

Apply alternating heat and cold treatments. You may find that alternating treatments will be the best way to overcome aches and pains. Be sure to not overdo it with icing, as you may end up causing more harm than good. Do not do this more than twice a day.

Heating Pad

Yoga is excellent therapy for arthritis. The practice of yoga can have very relaxing effects on your body and can eas joint pain due to arthritis.

To get temporary relief, invest in a heating pad with moist heat. The moist heating pad provides comfort for arthritic pain that is debilitating or chronic. These pads provide you with quick relief, but you still need to see your doctor.

Pay attention to the food you eat. Some people who experience arthritis tend to be sensitive to some types of food, but fail to realize it. One way to help in finding out if you have any food sensitivities is to keep a food journal. Write down everything you eat as well as any flare-ups that you experience. By careful observation, you will probably be able to decipher what foods cause flare-ups.

Though it may be a challenge, you really do need to exercise as much as you can if you deal with arthritis. If you do not exercise the joints, they will tighten and make your arthritis worse. Flexibility exercises are important, too.

For those that suffer from osteoarthritis in one or both knees, you may want to speak with your doctor about getting electrical stimulation. It is a treatment option that has been shown to reduce the swelling in the knees due to arthritis.

Don’t allow yourself or others to get you down. When arthritis develops, it may be a little more difficult to get things done. Harboring feelings of guilt or feeling pressured can only worsen the situation, so keep reminding yourself that you are not to blame. Giving up certain tasks is no reason to beat yourself up!

If you have rheumatoid arthritis, start a daily journal. A journal may help you to recognize what is triggering your arthritis flare-ups. A diary or journal can also jog your memory as to what has helped you in the past. Talk to your doctor about what you want to do. It is a tremendous tool to have.

Ask your doctor to monitor you for deficiencies often. Vitamin B-12 is a very important nutrient that helps to reduce flare-ups and pain during the day. However, you can reduce this risk by having your nutritional levels checked frequently, and making changes in your diet accordingly to prevent your joints from becoming inflamed.

Shed some excess weight. Being overweight can cause painful swelling and inflammation if you have arthritis. Your joints are put under much more pressure when you are carrying extra weight. This added stress on the joints can cause you to have more frequent flare ups. By shedding these excess pounds, you help to limit both the intensity of pain and rate of occurrences these flareups happen.

Getting a handle on arthritis early on can be very helpful. For instance, learn how to type properly. Ideally, you should keep the hands level with the keyboard, and use a mouse pad beneath your mouse. These things will let you type more easily without harming your hands, and helps prevent future arthritis problems.

If you’re a chronic arthritis sufferer who experiences problems like those described in the beginning of this article, you know how debilitating your disorder is. We hope you’ve learned something from this article that you can apply to become a happier, healthier person who has an easier time living.