5 Effective Ways to Manage Arthritis Pain
First, What Causes Arthritis?
Arthritis is a condition that causes swelling around your bones and joints, often resulting in severe pain. It can also cause cartilage breakdown, which can make your bones break easily.
There are two types of arthritis: osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis is one of the most common types because it’s based on age. It develops due to repetitive usage of certain joints. Rheumatoid arthritis forms because your immune system keeps attacking your healthy body tissue. Because of this, the tissue will start to break down.
Side Effects of Arthritis
This medical condition comes with quite a few side effects.
- Pain in your joints, ankles, hands, and feet
- Decreased range of motion
- Redness and swelling
- Stiffness
- atigue
If not treated, these symptoms can worsen over time and make it difficult to walk and do your daily activities.
5 Natural Ways to Manage Arthritis Pain
(1) Consume Plenty of Fatty Acids and Water
Fatty acids are a important nutrients. They not only help provide energy but also calm inflammation. Consuming plenty can calm flare-ups. In fact, numerous studies have shown that including fatty acids in their diets helped prevent stiffness and swollen joints in those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.
A popular fatty acid is fish oil, which can be purchased as a supplement and can be very helpful for keeping inflammation away. However, you can also add plenty of fatty-acid rich food to your diet. Some of the best include:
- Chia seeds
- Sardines
- Walnuts
- Salmon
- Yogurt
- Eggs
- Milk
Also, avoid inflammatory food high in sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, vegetable oil, and saturated fat.
Water is also vital to avoid or manage arthritis. Not only will it flush out toxins surrounding your joints, but it will also build fluid around them. This provides plenty of cushioning so bones don’t rub against each other.
(2) Use Chiropractic Care
A chiropractor’s scope of practice offers impressive results for those with arthritis. Chiropractors begin by feeling around your bones and joints to find problem areas. They may then gently press on them and do adjustments.
Some people worry that chiropractic care could cause extra pain to areas suffering from arthritis. But the good news is that chiropractic care is pretty safe and includes a handful of different therapies that can vary depending on your needs. Some of these include:
- Ultrasounds
- Infrared sauna
- Electrotherapy
- Cold laser
Rather than physically manipulating your joints, these techniques emit sound waves and electric pulses or use light. Sometimes a chiropractor might not even touch the areas affected by arthritis but instead adjust the parts near them to reduce swelling.
Some chiropractors might ask to take x-rays of the places affected by arthritis. This can help them to get a better understanding of how bad it might be and select appropriate treatment.
(3) Try Exercising
One might think exercising would make arthritis pain worse, but it can actually help reduce or alleviate it. Simple stretches can be especially beneficial in keeping affected joints healthy. Also try more active exercises, like swimming and walking.
Water aerobics has been shown to be particularly helpful in healing arthritis pain. The water’s buoyancy allows you to move more freely, which can encourage you to adjust your body in ways you would otherwise be unable to. It also puts resistance on your muscles that works to strengthen them. Some water aerobic exercises for arthritis pain include water walking, lunges, side stepping, and jumping jacks.
(4) Add More Turmeric to Your Diet
This spice has been shown to significantly relieve arthritis pain. In one study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food, turmeric had impressive results at healing the participants’ arthritis pain. This is because turmeric slows inflammation and can stop joint stiffness. It will also boost your immune system, so it can fight off infections that weaken your body.
There are many ways to add more turmeric to your diet. You can sprinkle some on top of your food, blend it in a fruit or vegetable smoothie, or even add it to tea. You might also make turmeric milk. Turmeric and milk can work together to cease inflammation while adding calcium and protein to your bones.
To make turmeric milk, you’ll need about two cups of milk and one teaspoon of turmeric. Put all ingredients into a saucepan, mix them together, and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour into a cup. If you’d like, you could sprinkle some cinnamon on top. Not only does this add more flavor to your tea, but it also provides your body with extra benefits, like fighting off free radicals and preventing cell damage.
(5) Consider Acupuncture
An acupuncturist will poke small needles into various trigger points around your body, especially those affected by this condition. The aim is to encourage more blood flow to the area as a way to weaken inflammation. While this might sound painful, most people don’t feel anything during the session.
Once all the required needles have been inserted, you’ll keep them in for a few minutes before the acupuncturist removes them. Continue these treatments for about two to six weeks for best results.
Acupuncture is safe to use on arthritis, but keep in mind it might not work for everyone. How well it fixes your arthritis will depend on its severity and how often you do acupuncture sessions.
References
Arthritis can be hard to deal with, but thankfully there are a handful of ways naturally manage arthritis pain. If you want to holistically treat your arthritis, definitely keep these tips in mind, and check out these additional resources.
- Efficacy of Turmeric Extracts and Curcumin for Alleviating the Symptoms of Joint Arthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5003001/)
- Is aquatic exercise more effective than land-based exercise for knee osteoarthritis? (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6314737/)
About Dr. Wells
Dr. Brent Wells founded Better Health Chiropractic & Physical Rehab in 1998. He is currently leading 10,000 Alaskans to more active and pain-free lifestyles without drugs or invasive surgeries. He brings a progressive and highly innovative approach to chiropractic care and massage therapy, and physical therapy in Anchorage and Juneau. Dr. Wells continues to further his education with ongoing studies in spine conditions, neurology, physical rehabilitation, biomechanics, occupational ergonomics, whiplash, and brain injury traumatology. He is also a member of the American Chiropractic Association and the American Academy of Spine Physicians.
