Natural arthritis pain relief
Arthritis refers to a variety of conditions involving pain and inflammation in the joints.
Is it a degenerative condition, meaning that the symptoms tend to worsen over time, or is it a type of autoimmune arthritis with associated extra-articular symptoms, characterized by inflammatory flare-ups and a chronic clinical course?
These two types of arthritis include osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
OA primarily occurs when cartilage wear and tear causes bones to rub against each other, causing friction, damage, and inflammation.
RA is a systemic condition that triggers symptoms throughout the body. It is an autoimmune disease and occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy joint tissue.
Doctors can prescribe medications to relieve arthritis pain, but they often recommend natural approaches as well.
Remember to talk to your doctor before trying any arthritis remedy, whether or not it involves medication.
1. Control your weight
Your weight can have a big impact on arthritis symptoms. The extra weight puts more pressure on your joints, especially your knees, hips, and feet.
The American College of Rheumatology and Arthritis Foundation (ACR/AF) guidelines strongly recommend losing weight if you have OA and are overweight or obese.
Your doctor can help you set a goal weight and design a program to help you reach that goal.
Reducing stress on your joints by losing weight can help:
improve your mobility
decrease pain
prevent future damage to your joints
2. Get enough exercise
If you have arthritis, exercise can help you:
control your weight
keep your joints flexible
strengthen the muscles around the joints, which offers more support
Current guidelines strongly recommend starting a proper exercise program. Exercising with a trainer or another person can be particularly beneficial as it increases motivation.
Good options include low-impact exercises, such as:
for walk
cycling
Tai Chi
water activities
swimming
3. Use hot and cold therapy
Hot and cold treatments can help relieve the pain and inflammation of arthritis.
Heat treatments may include taking a long, warm shower or bath in the morning to help relieve stiffness and using an electric blanket or moist heating pad to reduce discomfort at night.
Cold treatments can help relieve joint pain, swelling, and inflammation. Wrap a gel ice pack or bag of frozen vegetables in a towel and apply to sore joints for quick relief. Never apply ice directly to the skin.
Capsaicin, which comes from chili peppers, is a component of some topical ointments and creams that can be purchased without a prescription. These products provide heat that can relieve joint pain.
4. Try acupuncture
Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese medical treatment that involves inserting fine needles into specific points on the body. Practitioners say it works by deflecting energies and restoring balance to your body.
Acupuncture can reduce arthritis pain and is conditionally recommended by the ACR/AF. Although there is not enough evidence to confirm its benefits, the risk of harm is considered low.
Be sure to find a licensed and certified acupuncturist to perform this treatment.
5. Use meditation to cope with pain
Meditation and relaxation techniques can help reduce arthritis pain by reducing stress and allowing you to cope better. Reducing stress can also help reduce inflammation and pain.
The ACR/AF recommends tai chi and yoga. These combine meditation, relaxation, and breathing techniques with low-impact exercises.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), studies have found that practicing mindfulness meditation is helpful for some people with RA.
6. Follow a healthy diet
A diet rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole foods can help boost your immune system and overall health. There is some evidence that dietary choices can affect people with RA and OA.
A plant-based diet provides antioxidants, which can help reduce inflammation by scavenging free radicals from the body.
On the other hand, a diet rich in red meat, processed foods, saturated fat, and added sugar and salt can aggravate inflammation, which is a hallmark of arthritis.
7. Add turmeric to dishes
Turmeric, the common yellow spice in Indian dishes, contains a chemical called curcumin. It has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Research suggests that it may help reduce the pain and inflammation of arthritis.
