Arthritis
and Helpful Tips to Relieve Pain
If
you’ve got arthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, you know that joint pain is an
unavoidable fact of everyday life. At times, it can seem overwhelming to deal
with the aching and inflammation. But even though there’s really no easy way to
beat arthritis pain, there are a few things you can do to at least give
yourself a fighting chance.
Take Care of Yourself
·
Protect
your joints. Don’t overuse them if you don’t have to—slide heavy objects
instead of lifting them or push doors open with your shoulders, for example.
·
Exercise.
Gentle exercises that don’t require force, such as swimming or walking, can
help improve the function of your joints and keep them from deteriorating
further.
·
Try heat.
A warm bath, sauna or paraffin wax treatment can work warmth into your joints,
especially fingers and toes. The heat can help ease the inflammation.
·
Use a
walking aid. You might not think a cane or walker is the most stylish
accessory, but if it keeps weight off of your knees and hips, then it’s
definitely worth it. The less weight you put on your joints, the less pain
they’ll give back to you.
·
Lose
weight. Just like a walking stick can help take pressure off aching joints,
losing weight can mean an even bigger relief for your overworked hips and
knees.
Mental Tips and
Tricks
Using your mind to fight pain is definitely not a magic
bullet, but it can’t hurt. Here are a few ways you can combat arthritis with
brainpower:
·
Meditation.
A study in 2011 found that breathing exercises and meditation
can reduce the intensity of pain by anywhere from 11 percent to 70 percent.
It’s also a good technique to start off your day in a positive way.
·
Distract
yourself. Think of something other than the pain to get your mind away from
what’s hurting you. Fantasizing about food or getting deep into a book can make
your joint pain fade into the background.
·
Listen to
music. Like the distraction technique, music is a way to keep your mind off
of your pain. One study found that an hour of listening to music in the course
of a week subdued pain and depression related to rheumatoid arthritis. Other
artistic pursuits, such as writing or painting, can also be a great way to lose
yourself in something distracting—just be careful not to strain your joints in
whatever activity suits you.
Be Cautious about
Joint Replacement
Although medication and joint replacements may play an
important part in the fight against arthritis, and especially rheumatoid
arthritis, you want to be very careful about what treatment options you choose.
Some drugs can be addicting or have dangerous side effects. And joint replacements
have been linked to many problems, including failure and fractures in some
patients.
The Biomet M2a Magnum line
of hip replacements, for example, has had problems because of its
metal-on-metal design. Metal flakes from the implant can cause blood poisoning,
pain, swelling and tissue damage. Bad reactions to Biomet M2a Magnum implants have resulted
in lawsuits from patients who were harmed by their new hips.
Jennifer Mesko is a
writer and editor for Drugwatch.com, a consumer advocacy website. For more up
to date news, follow Drugwatch on Twitter.
