Suppose you wake up one fine day to see that your hip joints are painful and swollen. You try to move and shake it out but leaving the bed seems like a struggle.
The discomfort is also accompanied by back pain and stiffness, which doesn't go away. This situation happens for a few mornings before you see it becoming a pattern and decide to take the issue seriously.
If this struggle seems familiar, then fret not. Catching arthritis in the early stages is beneficial and increases the chances of successful treatments.
Want to learn more about this disease and its prevention? Then keep on reading. In this post, we will have a detailed look on:
- How Arthritis is Caused?
- Arthritis Symptoms
- How is Arthritis Diagnosed?
- How to Prevent Arthritis?
- What Arthritis is the Worst?
- How to Treat Arthritis at Home?
- Lose those Inches
- Move Your Body
- Try Temperature Therapy
- Acupuncture
- Best Arthritis Vitamins
- SUPMOGO RecoveryFlex System
How Arthritis is Caused?
Arthritis is the swelling of the joints in the body. The tenderness may be limited to a single or more than one joint, depending upon the severity. When discussing the causes, it’s vital to note that there are two main types of arthritis: osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
There are some risk factors that increase the probability of getting arthritis. These include:
- Age
- Gender
- Family history
- Obesity
Besides, some conditions can also cause one of the two types. For example, osteoarthritis can happen due to degeneration of the tissues and cartridge within a joint. On the other hand, rheumatoid arthritis results from an autoimmune condition where the body attacks the healthy joints.
Arthritis Symptoms
Symptoms of arthritis can vary in different individuals according to the severity of the case. In general, here are some symptoms that may feel in the specific joints or the region:
- Pain
- Stiffness
- Inflammation
- Inability to be mobile
- Redness
Arthritis flare-up happens when the otherwise normal symptoms of the disease increase suddenly. It may be due to pressure on the joints, weather conditions, or other health issues. It causes difficulty sleeping and stiffness and may even restrict your movements due to pain.
How is Arthritis Diagnosed?
An arthritis specialist or rheumatologist may diagnose the issue after some tests, x-rays, and taking your medical history. There are various types and forms of arthritis which can happen in different parts of the body, i.e., arthritis of the knee, back, arthritis neck, spine, etc.
Your doctor will also identify the type and areas affected by the disease to help you narrow down the treatment options. Now that you know who treats arthritis, let’s discuss ways to decrease the chances of getting this painful condition.
How to Prevent Arthritis?
Arthritis has many causes, which can be changed, like lifestyle habits and eating, but others, like family history and age, are factors you can’t control. If you have a family history of arthritis and want to prevent it from happening to you, here are some helpful tips to follow:
- Maintain your weight at a healthy level. Obesity is a cause of many diseases, including arthritis, so maintaining a balanced weight will automatically decrease your chances of getting it.
- Blood sugar levels also impact the way your body functions. Keeping it at a normal range is another way to prevent this issue.
- Quit unhealthy habits like smoking and drinking to keep your body clean and healthy
- Eat fish at least once or twice a week. It will help reduce inflammation in the joints.
What Arthritis is the Worst?
There are many types of arthritis, but OA (osteoarthritis) and RA (rheumatoid arthritis) are the top ones on the list. Among these forms, rheumatoid arthritis is the worst as it causes degeneration and severe joint pain. As RA is an autoimmune issue, treating it is harder than treating osteoarthritis.
How to Treat Arthritis at Home?
Arthritis may be painful, but it doesn’t mean you can’t treat it at home using occupational therapies.
The first step is to diagnose whether you have rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis; your physician will help you in this regard. Remember to always consult with your doctor before starting therapy.
Another thing to remember in treating arthritis is that time is important.[1] Catching the issue early on and treating it will help you in the long run. Also, early diagnosis will help you deal with the issue effectively.
Here are some ‘at home’ treatments for lessening the pain and inflammation of arthritis:
1. Lose Those Inches
Losing those extra inches is essential if you’re obese or overweight. This tip is especially helpful if you suffer from osteoarthritis. According to studies, obese people tend to get worse symptoms of arthritis as their weight increases the degeneration of joints which causes more pain and inflammation.[2]
You can consult a nutritionist and devise a plan to decrease your weight and maintain a healthy and active routine. It will increase mobility, reduce joint pain and help you relieve the pain of arthritis. Additionally, it will also aid in decreasing the future degeneration of the joints.
2. Move Your Body
The biggest misconception about arthritis and other joint diseases is exercising and staying active can further damage them, but the reality is quite the opposite.
This belief is prevalent in older arthritis patients who prefer to live a sedentary life and never exercise. However, according to a study, regular exercises are essential to not only relieve the harsh arthritis symptoms but also lessen the further damage to the joints.[3]
Including an exercise routine in your daily life will help you stay flexible, decrease joint pain, keep the muscles moving, decrease the chances of falling and help maintain balance. So, you can either join a gym or hire a personal trainer to ensure that you keep your body moving.
But if you don’t like going to the gym daily, here are some alternatives to the traditional treadmills and weights:
- Walking
- Swimming
- Cycling
- Yoga
3. Try Temperature Therapy
Hot and cold therapy is another at-home remedy to deal with the stiffness and pain of arthritis. [4]The heat and the ice packs have various benefits, like this help to relax the joints, reduce stiffness and decrease the pain sensation. But first, let's check out how heat and cold therapy can help to deal with arthritis.
Heat Therapy
Heat and warmth help the joints and the muscles to relax and rest. This is essential if your muscles are stiff and the joints feel hard. You can include long, warm baths in your morning routine to relax and ease the day. Additionally, hot water bottles are another great way to provide instant relief.
Cold Therapy
Cold therapy helps the joints to relieve swelling and inflammation. It is also effective in decreasing the sensation of joint pain. You can try ice packs to relieve the specific joints or opt for cold showers to help with Arthritis of the spine.
4. Acupuncture
Lastly, another occupational therapy that can immensely help with arthritis is the acupuncture technique. It is not a 100% at-home remedy, as you’ll need to visit an acupuncture specialist.
Still, according to the American College of Rheumatology and Arthritis Foundation (ACR/AF), it’s a recommended practice as acupuncture helps many people with pain and stiffness.
While the benefits may be vague, it doesn’t hurt to try it, as it has no side effects.
Also Read: Tossing and Turning While Sleeping Due to Back Pain? Turn Your Pain into Power
Best Arthritis Vitamins
Arthritis can also be helped with certain vitamins that strengthen and regenerate the affected joints. What’s more? It will help you stay healthy and replenish your body. So, if you have arthritis, here are some vitamins you can add to your daily routine:
- Fish oil
- Curcumin supplements
- Vitamin D drops
- Vitamin K
- Omega-3
SUPMOGO RecoveryFlex System
If you have back arthritis, you must know how it feels to suffer from constant pain and discomfort.
Since the spine plays an important role in mobility and flexibility, arthritis in that region can limit an individual's movements. This is where using the SUPMOGO RecoveryFlex System Belt can greatly help to speed up recovery.
The belt is equipped with Advanced Targeting Technology to exercise and strengthen your back's deepest layer of muscles. As a result, it will not only help with lumbar pain but also improve your mobility and flexibility.
Conclusion
Arthritis can hamper many activities in your daily life, but it doesn’t mean you have to live with the pain for the rest of your life.
If you feel like the home remedies are not helping, ask your physician to prescribe you Arthritis Tylenol to decrease the pain. You can also opt for surgery to replace the damaged joint completely.
[1] Monti, S., Montecucco, C., Bugatti, S., & Caporali, R. (2015). Rheumatoid arthritis treatment: the earlier the better to prevent joint damage. RMD open, 1(Suppl 1), e000057.
[2] Mehrotra, C., Naimi, T. S., Serdula, M., Bolen, J., & Pearson, K. (2004). Arthritis, body mass index, and professional advice to lose weight: implications for clinical medicine and public health. American journal of preventive medicine, 27(1), 16-21.
[3] Resnick, B. (2001). Managing arthritis with exercise. Geriatric Nursing, 22(3), 143-150.
[4] Kavuncu, V., & Evcik, D. (2004). Physiotherapy in rheumatoid arthritis. MedGenMed, 6(2), 3.