As we get older, our joints start their protest. We’ve lived a life of running, jumping and climbing, and age and time get the best of us all at some point or another. Very few of us make it to the winter of life without a few achy joints along the way and with one in five Americans now dealing with arthritis, more and more treatments are becoming available.
The thing is, not everyone wants to take medicine for it. Tablets and potions for pain can only take you so far, and then the side effects kick in and really upset the apple cart. Dealing with arthritis can be done with natural methods (but if the pain is too much, take the potions, seriously). Below, we’ve got six of those natural methods for you to try if you are dealing with the symptoms of arthritis and it all gets too much.
- Keep moving. It may seem like it’s going against the grain here, after all, if you’re in pain, you usually rest. However, with arthritis, exercise is key to supporting the muscles around the joints. You can buy seamless socks to wear while you do it to lessen the sensitivity that you feel, but physical activity has huge benefits on your joints. You can work out gently with water and tai chi, so don’t think there is nothing out there for you to do.
- Learn chronic pain management techniques. From self hypnosis to yoga, you can incorporate controlled breathing and meditation to ensure that your body is learning to cope with the pain rather than fight against it all the time. Yoga is one of the best ways to support your joints while learning to control your response to pain associated with arthritis. It’s slow moving but deliberate so that you still get the workout that you are looking for.
- Look after your diet. Introducing food full of good oils is a good way to keep the joints supple. Look into avocados and soy specifically, as these reviews have indicated that these can improve pain and disability associated with osteoarthritis. Good oils in your food are going to keep your joints from being stiff, rather in the same way you would keep a car oiled to keep it moving.
- Introduce plant based inflammation fighters to your diet. Turmeric, especially, is a spice that contains curcumin. These have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties that can ease the symptoms of arthritis. Speak to your primary care physician before adding anything to your regimen, but do some independent research along with it.
- Alternate hot and cold compresses. Cold decreases inflammation while heat increases circulation and relaxes your muscles. You can swap between the two to help your joints.
- Think about looking into topical pain relievers to apply directly to the joint. These can help the pain hugely and can make the difference between your joints feeling good and your joints feeling sore.
Arthritis isn’t something that is easy to cope with, but with these tips you can make life a little more comfortable.
