Arthritis is a common condition that causes inflammation (redness and swelling), degeneration, and pain in the joints. It can affect anyone at any age, although it is seen more frequently in older adults.
There are numerous types of arthritis, and the most common ones are rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Symptoms such as pain and damage to the joints are common across all types of arthritis. Arthritis usually affects the joints of your knees, hips, feet, hands, and lower back.
The treatment for arthritis focuses on relieving its symptoms and improving the mobility of your joints. Treatment includes medication, physical therapy, and surgery.
There are a few natural remedies that can provide relief from the pain when practised alongside the treatment methods.
Let’s see what you can do to get immediate relief from arthritis pain.
Natural Remedies
1. Exercise: Any movement or physical activity can be painful if you have arthritis. However, exercise can help you manage your weight, keep your joints flexible, and strengthen the muscles around your joints. All of these factors can help reduce the pain associated with arthritis.
Take help from a professional trainer to design a workout program for yourself and opt for low-impact exercises, such as walking, cycling, swimming, and aquatic activities.
2. Massage: Regular massaging of your muscles and joints can help reduce arthritis pain. Studies suggest that massages lower your body’s production of the stress hormone cortisol, which is associated with pain.
Massages also help improve your mood by boosting serotonin (a chemical messenger in your body that acts as a mood stabilizer) levels. You could ask your doctor to direct you to a professional masseuse experienced in dealing with arthritic patients.
3. Heat And Cold Treatment: Heat and cold treatment may help ease the pain associated with arthritis. Heat relaxes your muscles and promotes blood circulation. Heat treatment includes a warm bath and placing a hot pad or water bottle on your joints.
Cold treatment restricts blood vessels and slows circulation, thus reducing the swelling and inflammation of the joints.
You could apply a cold pack or a bag of ice wrapped in a towel to your joints. You could also submerge the affected joint in ice water.
4. Turmeric: This golden spice, also called haldi, needs no introduction as it has been a part of traditional Indian medicine for centuries. Studies suggest that it blocks the proteins that cause inflammation and may ease arthritis pain.
Turmeric contains a chemical called curcumin, whose anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties help fight the pain and swelling in your joints. So, add turmeric to your meals, consume it in the form of tea, or drink a glass of haldi doodh (turmeric milk) every night.
5. Vitamin D: Vitamin D helps regulate the amount of calcium in your body and is thus essential for bone health. It may also have anti-inflammatory effects.
One of the reasons you may suffer from increased joint and muscle pain, and conditions like arthritis, is the deficiency of Vitamin D.
Get your vitamin D levels checked and make sure you are not deficient. You can get vitamin D from sun exposure and foods like oily fish, egg yolks, and mushrooms.
If the swelling and pain in your joints are troubling you in spite of trying various measures, make sure you reach out to a doctor for immediate help.
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