If you are living with arthritis, you know too well how joint pain can get in the way of your everyday activities and affect your overall life quality. Although there is no cure for arthritis, there are several things you can do to manage your symptoms. The following strategies can help reduce Humble arthritis pain so that you can find relief to pursue other important activities. Besides managing arthritis, these strategies can help you cope with other long-term health issues like diabetes, obesity, or heart disease.
Protect your joints
Because arthritis mainly affects your joints, you must protect them from further damage. Avoid activities that put extra stress on your joints and, instead, choose easy ones, like swimming, cycling, and walking. You also want to minimize your risk of joint injuries from sports, work, or vehicle accidents.
Engage in physical activity
Physical activity is a drug-free way to decrease pain and stiffness, increase endurance, improve your range of motion and strengthen your muscles. Choosing the right kinds of activities that build your muscles and don’t cause further joint damage is important. You can work with a physical therapist to develop an exercise program that best suits you. Focus on exercises that allow you to stretch, increase your range of motion, and build your muscle strength. Low-aerobic exercises like cycling, walking, or water are good for weight control and improving mood.
While exercise is important, you should avoid repetitive motion or high-impact activities. These include jumping, tennis, running, and high-impact aerobics.
Talk to your doctor
Let your doctor know if you have joint pain or other arthritis symptoms, so you can get an accurate diagnosis as soon as possible and start treatment. With early and effective treatment, you can minimize symptoms and prevent the disease from worsening. This is especially true for certain forms of arthritis, such as gout, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis. The focus of arthritis treatment is to minimize pain and joint damage and improve or maintain your quality of life.
Like any other chronic condition, you should play an active role in controlling your arthritis. To do that, attend regular appointments with your healthcare provider and adhere to your treatment plan. It is especially important to take all your medications if you also have other health problems like heart disease or diabetes.
Manage your weight
Being overweight contributes to arthritis pain and elevates your risk of arthritis complications. It is, therefore, important to lose excess pounds and stay at a healthy weight to reduce stress on weight-bearing joints like the hips and knees. You don’t have to lose significant weight to reap the benefits; even as little as a 10 to 12 pounds reduction can minimize pin and improve your physical function. Arthritis-friendly workouts combined with healthy dietary changes can help you lose weight. If you can’t lose significant weight with exercise and changes in your diet, you may consult your physician to explore medical weight loss options.
Consult your doctor at Interventional Sports and Pain Management Associates to learn more ways to manage your arthritis symptoms.
