Managing your arthritis may feel impossible. Not only does it complicate a number of everyday tasks, but the pain can be excruciating. But as difficult as dealing with arthritis may seem, there are a number of things that can be done to help. This article will give you some of the best tips on how to better deal with your arthritis.
Inflammation
Determine what is causing the most pain and what activities are reducing your pain. If you can find out the triggers for pain and those things that are soothing the pain or aren't causing inflammation, you can better balance your day and refrain from those activities that are causing you greater stress. This will improve your lifestyle as well, giving you a more healthy feeling from day to day that is pain free and enjoyable.
In order to have the energy you need to cope with your arthritis symptoms, it is important to get plenty of sleep. Dealing with the pain and inflammation of arthritis can take a toll on your body and leave you feeling fatigued. The best way to keep your energy up is by making sure you are getting enough sleep. If you have trouble sleeping, try eliminating caffeine or talk to your doctor about medications that may help.
Fish oil is known to ease pain and inflammation. Fish oil by itself tastes horrible, but you can take it in pills. You should take at least four grams of fish oil a day. This product is harmless and will help relieve the pain as efficiently as medications such as ibuprofen.
Make sure to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables if you want to help ease the effects of arthritis. Fruits and vegetables are healthy for all people, but for people with arthritis, they are especially helpful because they have vitamins and nutrients that help to build healthy joints and reduce joint inflammation.
Reduce the stress in your daily life. Stress causes your body to release the neurochemical cortisol, while causes inflammation. People with arthritis should know that inflammation is the main cause of the pain and stiffness of arthritis. Reducing stress reduces your body's production of these chemicals, which relieves your symptoms.
Have you visited your physician and tried an exercise program, hot or cold treatments, pain medications and massages to relieve the pain, stiffness, and inflammation associated with arthritis? Have none of these worked for you? When other methods do not lessen the pain or if you have major difficulty, using and moving your joints, you may want to consult with your doctor about surgery. Sometimes, surgery may be a necessity, in order to have some quality of life.
Never wear high heels. Women who suffer from arthritis should stay far away from these shoes, as they put extra stress on the ankles and knees. Wearing these can actually cause tears in the tendons surrounding joints, which will only worsen any inflammation and pain that already exists in the area.
Millions of people successfully manage their arthritis, and you can too. While your arthritis may always be a burden, applying the advice in this article can make it much easier to live with. Take the time to give these tips a try and find out what works for you. Once you try them, you'll be wishing you looked for advice a lot sooner.