As arthritis converges on your joints and bone cartilage, you will experience varying levels of pain and inflammation. Millions of people are affected by this condition each year. Use the following tips and tricks to help you to deal with life as an arthritis sufferer.

If you’re a woman with arthritis, you may not want to wear high heels. While they may be attractive, high heels can be damaging to your body. Wearing high heels puts an undue amount of force on the knees and makes arthritis problems in those joints worse. Do your best to always wear comfortable shoes in an effort to decrease your problems with arthritis. There are many designer shoes available that will make you look good while being comfortable and protecting your body.

Always consult your doctor before you change which pills you take or when you take them. Some medicines need time in your body become they become effective, and other medications can cause problems if you suddenly stop taking them.

If you are dealing with arthritis, do some activities in the water. Exercising underwater is a great way to stretch muscles and joints, and being in warm water also soothes aching joints. If you can’t swim, why not join a class?

If you have rheumatoid arthritis, use a daily diary. This diary may help you understand what triggers your flare ups in daily life. It can also provide clues to what is helping. You and your doctor can also use this information to find the best treatment options. It is important in every aspect.

Try heated pads or packs of ice to relieve joint pain. For maximum effectiveness, alternate between hot and cold applications. A physician can offer you more detailed advice about utilizing hot and cold therapy to treat pain.

Try doing meditation or yoga if you have chronic arthritis. The techniques of yoga have been shown to reduce the painful symptoms of arthritis by relaxing the mind and body. You should practice these techniques at least three times a week to gain the maximum benefit.

You should try to eat more fresh produce and less meat. Research shows that arthritis patients suffer less with pain, inflammation, and swelling when they go vegetarian. If you are not going to be able to not eat meat, make sure half of your plate is filled with vegetables to get almost the same benefits.

Aquatic activities and water aerobics are ideal exercises for arthritis sufferers. Aquatic therapy carefully practiced in warm water is gentle on the joints and muscles which can be a soothing way to exercise while lessoning the pain of arthritis flare-ups. Ask your doctor if there a warm water therapy program could be helpful for you.

It may seem odd, but just listening to the soothing sounds of relaxing music has been shown to ease arthritis symptoms. This music helps ease your pains and aches and relaxes your arthritic body. If you are having trouble sleeping because of arthritis pain, peaceful music may help bring sleep.

If your knees have arthritis, you should try to wear a brace before thinking about having surgery. Knee braces can reduce arthritis pain and swelling substantially and might make surgery unnecessary. You can even use one while your are sleeping.

Relax in a chair, shut your eyes, and try some deep breathing. This will help you think happy thoughts and ignore the constant pain you are in.

Understand what to look for in symptoms of arthritis. Learning about the symptoms ahead of time can help you detect it early. If symptoms are prevalent and life altering, it’s time to contact a physician for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.

Up your protein. Arthritis sufferers need more protein than other people; the disease robs your body of stored protein faster than normal. If you are a vegetarian, it is especially important for you to find healthy sources of protein, and eat them regularly to stave off pain and inflammation.

Don’t abuse your joints. Arthritis pain can make it difficult to perform daily tasks. Slide items across surfaces instead of lifting them when possible or have someone help you. Avoiding irritation and inflammation of your joints can aid in keeping joints flexible and can alleviate distress and pain.

You should get tests done to expose any deficiencies. Being low in certain vitamins or minerals, like vitamin B-12 or iron, can cause havoc for arthritis sufferers. It exacerbates the symptoms. If you have these checked on a regular basis, you can catch any deficiencies early, which will reduce your overall level of pain.

Becoming more active and beginning a weight loss program can really have a positive impact on your arthritis. Weight can influence the effects that arthritis has on you, and losing weight could provide a huge reduction of arthritis pain. A few pounds could make a huge difference in the pressure applied to your joints.

If you have osteoarthritis in your knee(s), you might want to ask your doctor about trying electrical stimulation treatments. It is a treatment option that has been shown to reduce the swelling in the knees due to arthritis.

Arthritis can differ so much from person to person that it can be hard to discover the best way to treat it. This article has advice that can be used as an overall review for arthritis pain. By following this advice, you will find your symptoms to be less severe.