Ways to help relieve arthritis
AS arthritis is a long-term condition, it’s important to incorporate drug-free strategies into your life to reduce reliance on medication.
The pain of stiff and swollen joints can make people feel low, especially if it affects daily life. But the good news is that it often comes and goes.
‘Staying positive on a bad day by knowing that it will settle, and simple pain-management techniques such as relaxation, distraction and counting blessings, can really help,’ says Dr Wendy Holden, consultant rheumatologist and medical advisor for Arthritis Action.
Simple daily exercises to improve muscle strength can be as effective for pain relief as prescription painkillers. And they can also help you maintain a healthy body weight, to reduce pressure on the joints.
And while no single diet can ‘cure’ arthritis, it can be helpful to incorporate a range of anti-inflammatory foods into your diet.
These include coldwater fish, green leafy vegetables, nuts, ginger, turmeric, wholegrains and green tea.
Some people find that acupuncture provides relief, as can physiotherapy, hydrotherapy and occupational therapy. And anything you can do to keep the muscles around the joints in good condition, such as massage, stretching and strengthening, can help.
Many people also try anti-inflammatory rubon creams and gels.
When someone has osteoarthritis, cartilage that helps the joints to move smoothly starts to wear down, leading to pain and stiffness.
One drug-free topical gel contains tiny droplets, called Sequessome vesicles, which pass through the skin and lubricate the affected joint to provide pain relief and alleviate stiffness.
An ice pack wrapped in a tea towel, or a heat pack, is another simple way to help reduce the inflammation surrounding an arthritic joint.
And some choose to take supplements, including cod liver oil, curcumin — the active compound in turmeric — or vitamins D and K.
Research is ongoing, but there is currently no cure. So Arthritis Action continues to encourage people to use a variety of self-management techniques.
Dr Holden adds: ‘ Chat over the options with your GP. Try using painkillers before, rather than after any form of physical activity, for the best effects.
‘Anti- inflammatory medicines should ideally be used at the lowest possible dose, for the shortest time to avoid harmful side-effects.’
Remedies that are drug-free!