Is it becoming too difficult for you to deal with your arthritis? Many people the world over are needlessly enduring the pain and reduced quality of life brought on by arthritis, without realizing that there are many effective treatment methods available. You can do something for your arthritis even without using medication. Take these steps below to help you cope with the pain and inflammation caused by arthritis.

Avoid exposure to cigarette smoke, yours or anyone else’s. Nicotine reduces the amount of blood flow in your body, and this can reduce inflammation temporarily. However, the lower level of blood circulation can harm your joints, which means that your arthritic condition will be worse than if you had not smoked.

Arthritis pain can make sleep difficult. Try taking a bath with warm water and soothing bath salts. This can relax your muscles and reduce your pain, helping you sleep.

Treat arthritis pain with both heat and cold. Your joints can easily become inflamed, so switching between hot and cold packs can soothe pain and reduce swelling. Don’t overdo these treatments, though, because it can cause more issues in the future. At most, do this twice a day.

Stay at a healthy weight and you will reduce the stress on the various joints. Being excessively overweight will worsen your arthritis symptoms. Don’t skip meals or follow fad diets as a way of losing weight. Instead, enjoy a healthful and abundant whole food diet that provides all of the nutrition your body needs.

If you are in the process of designing a new house, and you suffer from arthritis, talk to your builder to see if any modifications can be made. Have a talk with the designer and help establish a list of must haves. Modifying the placement of items you ordinarily would have to stretch to reach can help you manage your arthritis better. When your joints are inflamed, stretching can be painful, so minimizing the amount of stretching you do helps minimize your joint pain.

Moist Heat

Moist heat from a heating pad can provide temporary relief. If you find that you constantly have nagging pains from arthritis that is interfering in your body’s ability to move around, the purchase of a heating pad that features moist heat could be a good investment. Although these pads can give you quick relief, you should always consult with your doctor about treatment.

If you feel yourself becoming depressed as a result of your limited activity, consult a therapist. Therapy can help you learn to cope with your limitations while still remaining self-sufficient. It is also a chance to connect with other people, reminding you that you are not alone. People with arthritis also develop health problems such as depression; therapy can help people deal with these issues whether it is individual or group therapy.

Never get yourself to feel bad about arthritis or let others feel bad for you. When you are suffering from arthritis, there will be some tasks that you do not feel comfortable doing. Feelings of guilt only serve to make things worse, rather than helping the situation. Just because there are some things you can’t do doesn’t mean you should give up on everything!

Visit your doctor regularly to have blood work completed. Arthritis flare-ups and inflammation are more common if your body is operating with a short of important nutrients, such as vitamin B-12 or iron. It is vital to check your levels often so that you can maximize your comfort and mood as the day wears on.

Arthritis sufferers can benefit from taking fish oil. Medical research has shown that fish oil, which contains omega-3 fatty acids, can help to reduce the inflammation and pain in your joints. Fish oil supplements may be found in health food stores, as well as local supermarkets.

Laugh a lot. Laughing and smiling with family and friends can increase your mood and lower your stress. Incorporate laughter into your life as a constant companion and use it to combat the effects of arthritis.

Watch out for new medical treatments. Often, doctors don’t like to try out new treatments if the current treatment is working. Let your doctor know of any treatments you find out about that you think might be of benefit to you and ask if they think it’s worth trying.

Plan ahead. Arthritis symptoms could occur anywhere at anytime so make sure you have a plan of how to deal with the situation if it arises. Dividing your work into separate parts will give you time to rest during the day. You should also be able to stop what you are doing right away if the pain becomes too great.

Keep a diary. If you keep track of your pain in a diary you should be able to pinpoint what the triggers for it are. Include everything in your documentation, including how much pain you have, where you are and what you eat, to see how it might be relevant to your arthritis.

If your life is affected by arthritis and the pain that comes with it, you don’t have to sit there and take it. You can stand up for yourself and give yourself the wellness that you desire from life. Start with the arthritis tips above that can show you a better way to manage your arthritis in a way that helps you in the long run and not only right now.

Keep your protein levels up. If you have arthritis, your body needs more proteins than before. Getting enough protein will help you fight inflammation and painful attacks. If you’re committed to a vegetarian diet, find those meat-free alternatives that still give you the protein you need.