There are many effective treatments that enable you to take control and live a healthier life while keeping your joints as healthy as possible.
Stay away from smoking, and quit if you are already smoking. The nicotine contained in cigarettes could reduce the blood flow to extremities; this may reduce inflammation for the short term. However, the damage done to your joints by the lack of blood flow will cause your arthritis to increase in severity more quickly.
Avoid smoking cigarettes, yours or anyone else’s.Nicotine reduces the blood flow to the extremities which can exacerbate arthritis-related inflammation. In the long-term though, your joints can also suffer longer term damage from a decreased flow of blood.
Ice packs and heating pads are great to relieve joint pain. Your doctor will be able to tell you how to best use fluctuating temperature methods for pain relief.
Always discuss any potential medication changes with your doctor. Some prescriptions take time to build up in your body and start to become fully effective, but quitting them can cause serious side effects even if you’ve only taken them for a few days.
Do not wear old shoes to workout if you have arthritis.Shoes that are at the end of their life cause your body weight evenly. This will put a lot of pressure on your leg muscles and will make exercising painful. If your workout shoes have uneven wear on the soles, it’s time to replace them.
Unlike some medical problems, moderate alcohol consumption has been shown in studies to not worsen the condition.
Keep a daily journal if you are dealing with rheumatoid arthritis in your daily life. If you keep a journal it can help you understand what is in your life that will spark a flare up in arthritis. A diary or journal can also jog your memory as to what has helped you in the past. You should bring these notes to discuss with yor doctor, so he can work with you to prescribe the most effective treatment program. A diary can help you in many ways.
If you are having a hard time getting rest because of arthritis, think about switching up your nightly shower for a warm bath with bath salts. This helps relax your body, which relieves arthritis pain.
Smoking has been shown to increase your arthritis flare-ups by causing a loss in joint flexibility.Quitting can be hard, but if you suffer from arthritis, it can be easier to stop.
To minimize the stress felt by your joints, stay at a healthy weight. Your joints can become strained, making your arthritis symptoms worsen by being overweight. 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.
Be aware of what you eat. Keep a ledger of what you consume, and make a note when you experience a flare-up in your symptoms. This could help you discover the foods responsible for the flare-ups.
It is important to learn all you can about arthritis so you will be able to care for your condition properly, but it is equally important to use the advice that you receive to understand what you are facing and how to deal with it. The tips laid out here are smart ways to understanding arthritis and its symptoms. That way, you can finally start effective treatment and pain management.
Talk to a doctor about electrical stimulation if you have osteoarthritis in a single or both knees. Research has proven that this treatment not only reduces knee swelling due to osteoarthritis, it can also help with pain reduction.