If you suffer from arthritis pain, there are a number of things that you can do, outside of taking anti-inflammatory medication and painkillers, to help manage the pain from your condition.
Try to Maintain a Healthy Weight
If you suffer from arthritis, try to maintain a healthy weight. If you are overweight right now, work with your doctor on a diet and exercise plan that will help you to lose weight in a safe and healthy manner.
When you are overweight, that extra weight has a negative effect on your joints by putting extra pressure on them, which can cause you to experience an increase in arthritis pain. By losing weight, you reduce the additional stress on your joints, which should help decrease the pain you feel in your joints and even help increase your mobility. Losing weight will also help protect the overall health of your joints.
Try to Get Moving
Exercises can actually be really helpful when you have arthritis; however, you want to make sure that you are doing the right types of exercise. The best exercise when you have arthritis is exercise that gets you moving without putting too much stress on your joints, such as low-impact exercises. Examples of low-impact exercises include things like swimming, water aerobics, and Thai-Chi.
Get Some Fatty Acids into Your Diet
Fatty acids have been shown to help reduce the pain and stiffness that you feel in your joints when you suffer from a condition like arthritis. Omega-3 fatty acids, which are the fatty acids found from eating fish, can help provide you with these benefits. You can get omega-3 fatty acids in your diet through eating more fish, or taking a fish oil supplement.
You can also help your joints by getting gamma linolenic acid, also known as GLA, which is actually another type of fatty acid, though not as well-known as Omega-3. You can find GLA in more eclectic foods such as hemp, black currants and borage. You can also take supplements that contain GLA, such as hemp seed oil.
Enjoy Regular Massages
Getting regular massages can provide you with a host of benefits. One of the main benefits of massage is that it can help relax you and increase positive endorphins in your body. When you have arthritis, massage can help you manage your pain, reduce stiffness, and increase your range of motion. Just make sure that your massage therapist knows to target your joints.
If you suffer from arthritis, beyond taking the medication that your doctor provides you with, you should also try to maintain a healthy weight, engage in low-impact exercises, add fatty acids to your diet, and enjoy regular massages. These four natural methods can help improve the condition of your joints and decrease your overall pain levels from your arthritis. For more information on arthritis treatment, contact professionals like Sarasota Arthritis Center.