Do you need new ways to cope with the pain of your arthritis? There are a number of things that can be done to make it easier to live with arthritis, and this article will make sure you know about them. Read on for some very helpful tips!
Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight causes stress on the joints especially in the knees and hips. This added stress leads to flare-ups of arthritis. This is in addition to the well-known health dangers of being overweight and the detrimental effects it has on your mood and energy levels. Speak with your doctor about a safe weight loss plan.
It is important that you try not to put too much stress on your joints if you suffer from arthritis. The only thing that this is going to do is make your arthritis worse. Instead, be sure that you don’t overdo it when you have to use your arms or legs for an activity.
Take your time with major clean up tasks if arthritis is a part of your life. Major cleaning tasks, like mopping and changing bed sheets, put a strain on your body. They involve the use, and sometimes over use, of several different muscles and joints. Take a break when you can or better yet, ask for help. You don’t have to do it all in one day.
Be sure to get sufficient sleep whenever arthritis flares occur. By not getting enough shut-eye, your body won’t get the chance to fight the painful symptoms of arthritis. Try to get eight hours of sleep everyday at the very least, or ten hours on more stressful days. The benefits your body will enjoy from proper sleep are tremendous.
Squeeze tubes are your friends when living with arthritis. Buy them whenever you have the option. Whether it is the mayonnaise or jelly, opening a jar is a difficult task when your hands hurt. Buy a squeeze tube instead and the task will be much easier to accomplish. This means less pain in the kitchen and a more enjoyable day.
Stay away from heating pads if your arthritis is flaring up. All they are going to do is make your symptoms worse. Instead, apply a cold compress to the area where your arthritis is located. You could even wrap a package of frozen peas or another frozen vegetable in a towel and apply to the area.
Stretching should be a daily activity to keep your arthritis symptoms under control. You can prevent injuries just by spending 10 minutes a day stretching all of your major muscle groups. These stretches warm up for your muscles and tendons making them less likely to sustain an injury.
Relaxing music can be used to relieve certain symptoms of arthritis. This type of music tends to put your body in a relaxed state which can take away some of the pains and aches that causes your arthritis. If your arthritis causes insomnia, quiet and calming music can even help you sleep.
Implement a cane into your daily routine for support. Pride has kept many people with arthritis from using a cane. However, if the suffering is reduced via using a cane, then it only makes sense to put your pride aside and do what is best for your joints. Choose a personalized cane. It can have your favorite sports team on it or an elaborate design.
Heat can help pain that induces fatigue. While many people believe that cold packs are the best for any type of pain, with arthritis sufferers, this is not the case. Fatiguing pain is best relieved with a warm treatment, as it will help to not only rid you of pain, but also give you a bit of energy back.
Use assistance as much as possible when engaging in strenuous activity. If you’re lifting big objects of if you plan to be standing for an extended period of time, be sure to take the precaution to care for your joints due to excess pressures that could damage them further. Damaging your joints further causes your arthritis to flare up, which means more pain, so the best tactic is to avoid damage altogether.
Store items on your countertop that you would normally place in your pantry to help avoid straining yourself in the kitchen. Make sure that you use lids that are lightweight and easy to remove. Simple changes like this can make your time in the kitchen more bearable.
Purchase an ergonomic knife that is designed to help you cut and slice with ease without putting a strain on your joints. These knives give you better leverage so that you can use your body weight to do your cutting instead of using your joints in a repetitive fashion.
You have numerous methods available to you to ease the burden of arthritis. This article offers many good ways to work with your arthritis.
