It would be a shame if you worked hard your whole life to earn money and build wealth but end up having to deal with health issues or chronic pain which may significantly hurt your quality of life. One common issue which can result in dealing with chronic pain is arthritis. Fortunately, there are various remedies for arthritis available to those who are suffering.
What is arthritis?
The swelling and inflammation of your body’s joints and surrounding soft tissue is referred to as arthritis. This condition arises when the cartilage around your joints start to become worn away. Cartilage tissue acts as the cushioning between your joints. Arthritis results in pain and can decrease range of motion. The condition can even result in deformed joints.
Symptoms
There are numerous symptoms caused by arthritis you may want to be aware of. You may experience pain in your joints which may start as a dull ache. However, this may eventually progress to a sharp pain which may be debilitating for many people.
You may find you have a loss of mobility and feel and hear a grinding or cracking of your joints when moving. Your joints may end up being red and swollen with a tender feeling. Arthritis can result in the wearing away of your soft tissues. You may also find more weakness in one or more joints.
Lifestyle and movement remedies
Changing your lifestyle to incorporate more movement of your joints can help to remedy some of the pain and discomfort of arthritis. You should also remember to maintain good posture when sitting or standing. Also, be sure to have adequate rest since it can be easy to overdo your daily activities.
A healthy diet and doing what you can to not be overweight can help significantly. Additionally, make sure to refrain from smoking.
Natural remedies
Along with medications you may also want to investigate using natural remedies to treat arthritis. Acupuncture is believed to stimulate connective tissues, increase blood flow, and activate your body’s natural pain-relieving mechanisms. Massages with gentle to moderate pressure can improve your motion range and decrease pain.
Another option to consider is to incorporate more foods that have anti-inflammatory effects, promote bone strength, and improve your immune system. Some of these foods may include fish, soy, cherries, extra virgin olive oil and low-fat dairy products.
Medications
Your doctor may want to prescribe medications to help alleviate your arthritis. Of course, there are over-the-counter pain medications which do not need to be prescribed by a doctor. These may include Tylenol or similar pain relievers. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, such as Aleve or Advil are also available over-the-counter.
On the other hand, your doctor may find it necessary to prescribe strong painkillers such as opioids. However, these can be habit-forming so you should be careful. Your doctor may also prescribe topical creams, ointments or gels designed to numb or cool the areas experiencing pain.
Sometimes doctors find it necessary to address immune system responses to attack your own joints. Doctors can treat this through prescribing disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) which inhibit immune system responses which may cause arthritis pain. Corticosteroids may be prescribed which can be taken via injection or in pill form to prevent the immune system from attacking joints and surrounding tissues.
Be sure to consult with a medical practitioner to see what medications and relief are appropriate for you.
The information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but we do not guarantee that the foregoing material is accurate or complete. Expressions of opinion are as of this date and are subject to change without notice. There is no guarantee that these statements, opinions or forecasts provided herein will prove to be correct.