Recent years have seen a dramatic increase in the number of patients diagnosed as suffering from arthritis. This condition can make hard as it inflames the joints and causes sharp pain. Here are some strategies for treating and coping with arthritis.

Watch your posture to help your joints. This can reduce arthritis pain. Don’t slump — stand straight and sit upright. Distribute your weight evenly on each leg. Soon your joints and spine will feel stronger than before, and arthritic symptoms that were once common occurrences will start diminishing.

Do not skimp on sleep if you are suffering from arthritis. The cells of your body rejuvenate while you are sleeping. The amount of sleep people require usually vary from 6-8 hours per night, more if the stress level is high. You will see wonderful benefits from good quality sleep.

In comparison to other medical issues, research has shown that moderate consumption of alcohol does not exacerbate the problem. In fact, some research shows that alcohol can actually alleviate mild arthritis-related pain.

If you are suffering from RA, keep a diary of your daily activities. This diary or journal will help you discover what triggers your flare ups. It can also assist you in zeroing in on the most effective remedies. Based on your findings, your doctor can then develop a treatment plan that will have the greatest effect on your symptoms. A daily diary is an extremely valuable tool to use.

You can help yourself by stopping arthritis early on. One way to help prevent it is to use good typing habits. Always make sure your hands are level, and you should always have a mousepad. This will decrease the amount strain in your hands, and it is a great preventative measure against developing arthritis and joint problems in the future.

If you want to reduce your arthritis pain prior to sleeping, run a hot bath, and add bath salts for maximum effect. The bath will put you in a relaxed state and reduce the severity of your pain, which will help you get to sleep and stay asleep.

If you are suffering from arthritis and you drive, you are eligible to park in handicapped spaces. A lot of people that suffer from arthritis are not in the know about this, and they park far away; this can deter them from going anywhere.

If you suffer from chronic arthritis, you may want to consider getting acupuncture. Do your research to find a qualified acupuncturist that can help you reduce your painful symptoms. If you do use this technique, remember that you will need to go for more treatments to get the full benefit.

The relaxing benefits of aromatherapy can also help to reduce arthritis pain. The medical community has proven that aromatherapy can relax muscles and joints, helping ease the pain of arthritis.

If you are suffering from psoriatic arthritis, you need to reduce how much you do. You are probably weaker and a bit more tired more often. If you ignore how you feel, you will just make your symptoms worse. Prioritize your life and focus on the people and activities which are closest to your heart. You don’t need to be everything to everyone.

Consider the therapeutic effects of aromatherapy as another way to treat your arthritis. Research on aromatherapy has proven that it can benefit and relax muscles and joints in your body, which can in turn ease stiffness, pain and other discomforts from arthritis or other conditions.

Make sure you have useful equipment on hand for use. With a little assistance, you can accomplish anything, arthritis or not. Many products exist to help someone that suffers from arthritis do simple tasks, such as special can openers and zipper pulls. Consider surrounding yourself with these useful tools as a means to make your life a bit easier.

Do not impose guilt on yourself or allow anyone else to do so. With arthritis, your comfort level with different activities is going to vary. Guilt or pressure to perform will just make things more stressful, so remember that you are not to blame. Just because you can no longer do the things you used to do, this is not a cause to get down on yourself.

Make a stretching routine. Loss of flexibility is a major concern for sufferers of arthritis. Having a consistent routine where you stretch your muscles can help slow down or prevent flexibility loss. Start off with stretching your feet, and then move in an upwards direction across you entire body until you reach your head.

Knee Brace

If arthritis is located in your knees, buy a knee brace that you can wear for pain relief before giving in to surgery. You generally only want to resort to surgery if this is the only option left, and the knee brace is well known for reducing the swelling. Even wearing a brace while you sleep can provide relief.

Fish oil might be beneficial to you if you are an arthritis sufferer. The benefit you get is derived from the omego-3 fatty acids inherent in the oils of many fish varieties. You can find fish oil in almost any drugstore, vitamin store or even the supermarket.

Consider working on a weight loss plan. Being overweight exacerbates the painful swelling and inflammation caused by arthritis. When you are carrying extra weight, it can put undue stress on your joints, causing them to flare. If losing some weight is what could reduce the intensity and how many times it occurs, the doctor may literally order losing a few pounds.

As discussed previously, arthritis is becoming ever more common. The longevity of our current population combined with a diet lacking proper nutrition and too little exercise could be the reasons for this. When you put the information you have just learned into practice, you can successfully treat arthritis and the symptoms that go with it, and improve the quality of your life.

Getting your rest is important. Sleep aids in the healing process and renews energy levels that chronic pain may otherwise hinder. Try to sleep in complete darkness, switching your clock around, turning off the cellphone, and trying relaxing techniques prior to slumber.