7 Ways to Manage Arthritis at Home

As you get older, your ligaments and tendons shift, which makes your joints stiffer and less flexible. To make matters worse, as you get older, the cushion that covers your joints thins, which leads to arthritis and inflammation. Managing pain is increase your quality of life.

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7 Ways to Manage Arthritis at Home
5 Min Read October 20th, 2022 Updated:November 3rd, 2022

Arthritis is a disease that causes inflammation of the joints. It can lead to pain, stiffness, and joint damage. Many types of arthritis include osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gouty arthritis, and lupus.

Work with your doctor so they can modify treatment plans as needed, along with providing education about managing symptoms at home. However, you can use CBD capsules to manage arthritis at home. The following tips can help you cope with arthritic pain while staying active.

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Here’s How You Can Manage Arthritis at Home

1.    Keep Up Your Fitness

Exercise is one of the best things you can do to help manage arthritis and keep your joints moving. It may help reduce pain and stiffness in your joints while strengthening muscles that support those joints.

Exercise also helps to prevent osteoporosis, which will keep your bones strong and help them stay healthy. Even if you don't play sports or exercise, walking for about 30 minutes daily can help keep your muscles strong enough to support your joints and bones.

Exercise is one of the best things you can do to help manage arthritis and keep your joints moving. It may help reduce pain and stiffness in your joints while strengthening muscles that support those joints.

Walking isn't the only type of exercise that's good for arthritis sufferers; any kind of physical activity will help: swimming, cycling, dancing—you name it! Just remember not to overdo it if this is new territory for you; start slowly and build up gradually so that you don't cause any injury or soreness in the process. 

2.    Don't Take Your Pain Lying Down

Once you've been diagnosed with arthritis, it's easy to get used to the pain and feel like there's nothing you can do about it. But there are several different things that you can do to manage your pain at home.

First, don't take your pain lying down! If you feel stiff or sore, don't just sit around: Get up and move around for a few minutes. You may not be in any condition to go for a brisk walk (or even stand up), but some light stretching should help loosen things up.

Second, consider using heat or cold therapy to relieve symptoms. Heat such as warm water bottles or heating pads can help reduce swelling, while cooling foods like ice packs can soothe inflamed joints by reducing blood flow and inflammation.

You also might want to try soaking your affected joints in warm baths if they're particularly stiff or painful; this will help relax tense muscles while boosting circulation throughout the body—important because many people report increased arthritis symptoms when their bodies are chilled from being outdoors in cold weather conditions too long without proper outerwear protection.

3.    Pace Yourself

Don't push yourself too hard. Many people with arthritis have difficulty pacing themselves, which can lead to more pain and stiffness. If your body is in pain, take breaks throughout the day, whether getting up from your desk or taking a walk around the block. Not only will this help to prevent stiffness and increase circulation in your joints, but it'll also make you feel better mentally.

A person running.

4.    Keep Moving

Staying active is essential for everyone, but it's essential for those with arthritis. The more you move, the less likely your body will develop other health issues like heart disease or diabetes. You might feel pain when you start exercising at first, but after a few weeks of regular activity, the pain should resolve, and you'll be able to move more freely. If you experience discomfort during exercise, try talking with your doctor about how to make your movement easier on your joints.

Being active isn't just good for managing arthritis; it also helps prevent other health problems such as high blood pressure, which often occurs alongside osteoarthritis because both conditions require much effort just getting around every day without any assistance whatsoever.

5.    Eat Right and Stay Hydrated

For those who have arthritis, eating right is an essential part of managing the disease. Eating healthy foods and avoiding junk food may seem common, but some specific foods and nutrients can help reduce inflammation, pain, and joint stiffness. You should also avoid some foods when trying to maintain good health with arthritis.

Good sources of omega-3 fatty acids include salmon, tuna, and sardines; nuts such as almonds, pecans, and walnuts; leafy greens such as spinach; flaxseeds; tofu; olive oil; avocados; eggs from chickens that were fed flaxseed meal instead of animal feed containing antibiotics or hormones. You should consume these foods at least twice a week to get enough omega-3s into your diet if you have arthritis symptoms.

Avoiding certain types of food can also help prevent flare-ups when suffering from chronic joint pain caused by osteoarthritis: processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages including soda pop/soft drinks/fizzy drinks), and artificial sweeteners used in low-calorie sodas.

6.    Sleep Helps

Sleep helps you recover from the day and gives your body time to restore itself. Your sleep needs change as you age. Sleep apnea can make it difficult for someone with arthritis to fall asleep and stay asleep. The good news is that there are things you can do to manage sleep apnea so it doesn't interfere with your arthritis management plan—such as losing weight if necessary, avoiding alcohol before bedtime, and sleeping on your side instead of on your back or stomach.

If you're having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep at night, try relaxing, like reading a book or listening to music, until you feel tired enough to fall asleep naturally without medication.

7.    Hot And Cold Therapy

Hot and cold therapy, also known as thermotherapy, is used for the treatment of osteoarthritis. The alternating temperatures have been proven to reduce inflammation, which can help you feel less pain. You may not think of this as a viable option at home, but it's pretty simple and safe if done correctly. 

Hot and cold therapy is best performed with an ice pack or heating pad when first feeling symptoms. When applied directly over the affected area, they effectively relieve inflammation by reducing joint and surrounding muscle tissue swelling.

If done correctly, hot and cold therapy can provide relief for up to six hours after application! This means that if you're experiencing extreme pain in any area of your body due to arthritis or some other condition.

A plate with different kinds of nuts.

Takeaway

When you have arthritis, it's essential to stay active and keep moving. You don't want your joints to stiffen up and become less mobile. The best way to do that is by exercising regularly and wearing proper shoes that support the natural alignment of your feet 

Arthritis and joint problems are among the most common health issues people face as they age. The most prevalent type of arthritis in older people is osteoarthritis, which is also one of the leading causes of physical disability. 

Both men and women are impacted by the condition. Osteoarthritis affects more males than women before the age of 45. Osteoarthritis affects more women beyond the age of 45.

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Editor's Note

Your joints do change as you age; there is no disputing that. Joint lubricating fluid production declines, and the cartilage that shields the bones deteriorates. While the muscles required to support and stabilize the joint deteriorate, ligaments tend to tighten. 

These changes can result from different degrees of inflammation, discomfort, and stiffness. Osteoarthritis, the most prevalent cause of joint pain, is often the result of this age-related deterioration in many people. 

One of the primary reasons people need help with everyday living activities is arthritis and joint issues. The need for long-term health care increases with age as well. The cost of the care that is required is increasing dramatically. The consequences on your family and finances can be devastating.

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