Drug-free strategies to help relieve arthritis

ARTHRITIS is a long-term condition, so it’s important to make use of drug-free strategies to reduce reliance on medication.

Simple daily exercises to improve muscle strength can be as effective for pain relief as prescription painkillers. They can also help you maintain a healthy body weight, to reduce pressure on the joints. And it can be helpful to incorporate antiinflammatory foods into your diet, such as cold-water fish, leafy vegetables, nuts, ginger, wholegrains and green tea. Some find that acupuncture, physiotherapy (pictured) or occupational therapy helps. And massage, stretching and strengthening can help keep the muscles around the joints in good condition. Many 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. Drugfree topical gel FlexiSEQ contains tiny droplets, called Sequessome vesicles, which pass through the skin and lubricate the affected joint to help relieve pain and stiffness. An ice pack wrapped in a tea towel, or a heat pack, is another simple way to help reduce inflammation. And some take supplements, such as cod liver oil, curcumin or vitamins D and K. Arthritis Action advises: ‘Chat through options with your GP. Try using painkillers before, rather than after 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.’