Thousands of people of suffer from
arthritis all over the world. Arthritis afflicts both men and women; however
women are three times more susceptible to suffer from it than men.
Arthritis means inflammation of
the joints and is usually a result of damage to the joint. The reasons for arthritis are many, but the
most common ones are age, infections, genetics, cold weather, excessive intake
of rich food, trauma, deficiency of organic minerals or sodium, physical and
mental strain.
Arthritis results in swelling,
redness, pain, stiffness and reduced ability to move your joints. If your stiffness and pain lasts more than two
weeks, then you may have the chronic Rheumatoid Arthritis. Rheumatoid Arthritis
is an incurable disease; however the inflammation and the pain can be reduced
significantly.
Here are some of the best
treatment options which can be followed for treating chronic arthritis:
Water Aerobics
You may think that exercise is
harmful for arthritic patients, but research has shown otherwise. Studies have
revealed that exercise helps in lessening pain and fatigue, increases
flexibility and strength and leaves you feeling well overall.Water Aerobics is an excellent
choice as an exercise for chronic arthritis patients. Indulging in water
aerobics increases the range of motion and endurance while keeping the weight
off the joints.
Massage
Get relaxing massages done.
Massages done with epsom Salt, or olive Oil or vinegar help in soothing pain
and swelling.
Losing Weight
Reducing weight helps you take the
stress off joints, thereby soothing pain in the joints. Maintaining a healthy
weight also helps in keeping other medical conditions such as diabetes, heart
diseases at bay.
Eating Healthy
Have a varied diet. Eat a lot of
fruits, vegetables, lean meat and dairy products. Also make sure that you get
enough of calcium and vitamin C and E.
Ice Pack
Apply a cold compress or an ice
pack whenever you experience joint pain. This will reduce the pain and the
swelling.
Heat Therapy
Go in for heat therapy. Take a
long warm bath. Apply a warm compress on the affected area or apply warm
paraffin wax on the afflicted joints. All this will help in reducing pain and
soreness. And if the pain is too severe,
then get it treated in the hospital, wherein the doctor will apply heat through
ultrasound and microwaves. This has proven to help many chronic arthritic
sufferers.
Using Assisting Devices
A splint to support joints is often needed
for chronic arthritis. It protects the joints and also helps in improving the
position of the joints.
Occupational Therapy
Go for occupational therapy. The therapist will teach you
ways to use your body effectively without putting stress on your joints. They
will help you to cope with daily life by formulating strategies.
Alternative Medicines
The seeds of evening primrose, black currant and borage have
been of great help in treating chronic arthritis. These seeds contain a type of
fatty acid that helps with morning stiffness. However, there may be some side
effects like gas and vomiting.
If everything fails, then there are always medicines which
will help a chronic arthritis patient. In
some cases, surgery may also be done if other treatments don’t work.
