Learning to Work through Your Arthritis Articles | Arthritis

By: Guy Starbuck

Arthritis is one of the most common diseases in the United States today. There are several things that can affect your arthritis and learning how to work with arthritis can be very difficult. Doctors can provide prescriptions and exercise, as well as diet changes to help relieve arthritis pain but things like mood changes and sleeping disturbances can affect arthritis as well. Learning how bad your arthritis is want change or indicate how much it will or will not bother a sufferer, so how do so many people deal with this debilitating disease?

Below are some tips on how to lessen the pain of Arthritis:

• Losing Weight: As I know you have probably heard this a thousand times, well now it’s a thousand and one. The reason this is stressed so frequently is because the added stress the weight puts on your joints and bones is damaging your body. When you have arthritis of the knees losing 4 lbs is like losing 20 lbs in weight on the knees!
• Eating a balance diet: As we all know eating a proper diet will help us lose weight it will also ensure that you get all your vitamins. And some vitamins are known to help arthritis. Vitamin D helps to absorb the calcium to assist the repair of your joints. Vitamin C not only helps the immune system but it also repairs your tissues that can become damaged with arthritis.
• Exercising helps your arthritis: Exercising strengthens your muscles and gives you added stability. It also will help increase your flexibility. Note * if you have Rheumatoid Arthritis you should wait on exercise because it increases the amount of flare ups you will have.
• Regular sleep: if you have arthritis you should be getting between 5-10 hours of sleep daily. Irregular sleeping patterns will cause you to have flare-ups of arthritis.  

What to do in the event of a Flare-up: 

The Pain and Flare-ups of arthritis are taken care of in a variety of ways. Many people use medication to help them with inflammation and pain. It is important that you are aware of the pros and cons of the medication before you start taking it because there are many side effects to taking medications and some can be worse than the disease it is treating. The use of heating/cold packs can help you when inflammation and pain is an issue. Make sure that you check with your doctor on which would be best.

Some arthritis patients use knee braces, splints and canes to assist them with walking. Don't use them as a replacement the best thing sometimes is some extra walking to get you back on your feet without difficult aids. If your arthritis is severe you may need use of a walker or wheelchair to aid you.

There are many things now that can help you with managing around your house. Below are a few things and how they can help:

• Changing handles and doorknobs: Changing the handles on your cabinets and doorknobs around your house to levers can assist you and make life much easier. Even if you are able to get around twisting your wrists in that motion can wear on your joints. 
• Using a grabbing device: will assist you with picking up the house and other things. The bending motion maybe too much for you to take at first and use of the grabber will make it easier for you.
• Taking breaks when sitting or standing for long periods: will assist you with problems stiffing up in your muscles and joints. Quite often we don't realize just how much what we do day to day can affect us and pain attention to how much you sit at your computer or stand at work will lessen the amount of flare-ups you will have.

There are many resources and support groups available to you these days. Checking with your doctor before you do any exercising or changing activity is important. If you are not sure of something ask questions. There are things you can do to help you and your arthritis flare-ups. Reading up on your particular type of arthritis is important “Knowledge is power” check with your local Arthritis Foundation for more support.