The image of arthritis has been made such, that it is incurable and one has to live with pain the whole life. Well, it is not as hopeless as it sounds. It is true that arthritis is a stubborn condition and takes time to heal, but there is always light where there is darkness.Arthritis is no one condition. There are more than 100 types of arthritis, each affecting different types of joints, exhibiting various symptoms. There are some severe arthritis that may not be cured completely but can be reduced to the extent that brings back the normalcy in life.
Medicines do play a significant role in keeping arthritis in check but, depending on them for a lifetime may cause other side effects as well. Don't worry; there are numerous natural remedies for arthritis through which you can fight and conquer arthritis very well. Let's explore all.
1. Temperature therapies Applying heat with heating pads, warm compresses, heat patches, warm baths on painful joints can relax the stiff muscles and spur blood flow, while ice pack or frozen vegetable packs curb joint swelling and inflammation. Just don't overdo both therapies. Apply for a few minutes and take breaks in between.
2. Arthritis diet Certain food items like processed and packaged cookies and crackers and fast foods can flare up arthritis symptoms. Hence, make some changes in your diet and add up some arthritis-friendly foods like omega-3 rich fishes, soybeans, olive oil, calcium and vitamin-D rich dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese, vitamin-C packed berries, oatmeal, brown rice, whole-grain cereals, kidney beans, and lentils, etc. to fight joint inflammation of arthritis.
3. Physical activity
It is natural to feel like not moving at all with the discomfort and pain of arthritis. But, regular exercise is vital for people living with arthritis. Exercise and physical activity are essential to keep the joints healthy and in moving condition. Those having rheumatic arthritis have to follow a strict arthritis exercise routine to improve posture, strength, function, range of motion, and to reduce pain in the joints. Suggested activities include low-impact aerobics, dance, Pilates, yoga, and other exercises that strengthen muscles and promote flexibility.4. Mindful meditation and deep breathing
"An unattended mind is the breeding ground of half of our problems." Negative feelings like depression, anxiety, stress, and anger can increase the body's sensitivity to pain, and one way to keep it calm is mindful meditation. Meditating focusing only on your breath and wild imagination can bring arthritis pain relief. Visualize good things and imagine your pain is fading away. Also, practice deep breathing by slow inhaling from your belly and exhaling with your attention fixed on it.5. Massage
An old but effective method. Massaging your painful joints with the right pressure can help ease joint pain and stiffness, especially for people with RA.6. Yoga The combination of low-impact exercise, breathing, and meditation work wonder for arthritis condition as it not only help ease joint pain, but also improves flexibility, and zap stress and tension away.
7. Proper sleep and rest
As much as physical activity is essential, adequate sleep and rest are must too for arthritis condition. Have a warm glass of milk with a pinch of turmeric before sleeping to get good sleep. The anti-inflammatory property of turmeric will help reduce the joint inflammation giving you good night's sleep. Also, don't forget to take breaks from prolonged activities and rest well.8. Electrotherapy Treatment modalities like therapeutic ultrasound which produce a deep heating sensation that accelerates the healing process by stimulating the blood and oxygen flow towards the painful area and TENS (Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) therapy that generates gentle massaging electrical impulses that travel via electrodes placed on the affected area, blocking the pain signals from reaching the brain, both, help the body to heal itself naturally. The combination of both is available in a portable electrotherapy machine calledSONICTENS , which has proven to be 100% effective in treating arthritis symptoms.
Bottom line Fighting arthritis is not an impossible task. With the right methods and positive attitude, one can defeat any major struggle coming their way.