Easy Ways To Fight Arthritis
Millions of people all over the world suffer from arthritis. This condition can cause a little discomfort in some, and be debilitating to others. However arthritis affects you, it is extremely important that you take the steps to combat the condition or it could get worse. You would be surprised how many people live with arthritis and don't do anything initially to alleviate their pain until it becomes so severe that their options are limited. The following article will give you some great tips and tricks to help you gain relief and lessen the severity of your condition so that you can live a happy and pain free life.
The first thing you should do when symptoms start to present themselves is incorporate a strength training and stretching routine. Arthritis affects your joints which can make it difficult to move, resulting in stiffness. You need to build the muscle around your joints and strengthen them so that you can reduce the pressure on your joints. Your exercise regimen doesn't have to be intense, you don't want to injure yourself after all, but it should be enough to build muscle. You also want to start stretching regularly. Stretching allows you to maintain or even increase your range of motion which is often compromised in people who suffer from arthritis. Make it a habit to stretch every morning when you wake up, before and after your workout, and at night before you go to bed.
Heat therapy is one of the most popular arthritis treatments that people use and for good reason, it works. Whenever you are feeling stiff or your joints are aching, take a warm bath, apply a heating pad, or a heating wrap to the affected area. Heat has been shown to have a soothing affect which greatly alleviates the pain related to arthritis.
Conversely to heat therapy, cold therapy has also shown to have significant benefits to those who suffer from arthritis. An ice massage or cold compression wrap is great to reduce swelling in an area that is causing you pain. Try and use cold therapy for about 20 minutes at a time on and off. Make sure you don't go beyond that 20 minutes as you can injure yourself.
Another great way to help reduce the pain caused by arthritis is to lessen the amount of stress in your life. Studies have shown that stress can actually increase the severity of your arthritic symptoms so it is extremely important to get a handle on your stress levels. Things like meditation and soothing music are great ways to relax and reduce the amount of stress you feel.
These are just some of the most popular tricks that have been shown to work in reducing the effects of arthritis. Perhaps the most important thing you can do is to educate yourself on the subject so that you can develop a treatment plan that is best suited for you. No matter what method you decide to use to treat your arthritis, just remember that this is a fight you can win.
