Useful Tips To Ease Arthritis Symptoms
If you struggle with arthritis pain, the best thing to start with is exercise . Physical activities such as walking, cycling, swimming, or jogging can help mitigate inflammation and pain by strengthening the bones and making the joints flexible. However, it’s important to begin with light physical fitness routines or choose low-impact workouts to avoid overdoing or increasing pressure on the joints. Talk to your doctor prior to starting any new exercise routine.
In addition, Healthline recommends hot and cold therapy for relieving joint aches caused by arthritis. Heat therapy, such as a warm bath or hot shower, is suitable for reducing joint stiffness, particularly in the morning. On the other hand, cold therapy includes placing an ice pack on the affected region to reduce swelling and inflammation. Medical News Today also recommends a daily massage for soothing intense arthritis pain. Moderate-pressure massage is more useful for boosting joint movements and decreasing pain than light-pressure massage. Additionally, a proper diet can also help manage arthritis symptoms. For instance, getting more omega-3 fatty acids into your diet, such as flaxseeds, nuts, and fish like sardines and salmons can improve arthritic pain.
Add Cloves To Your Diet
Cloves contain an anti-inflammatory chemical called eugenol that interferes with a bodily process that triggers arthritis. In one animal study, eugenol prevented the release of COX-2, a protein that spurs inflammation . Cloves also contain antioxidants, which are important in slowing the cartilage and bone damage caused by arthritis. Aim for ½ to 1 teaspoon a day for joint pain relief.
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Psoriatic Arthritis Of The Hip
Psoriatic arthritis is a type of arthritis that can develop in people with psoriasis, an autoimmune skin condition that can also cause inflammation in the joints, including the hip. Over time, untreated inflammation can lead to joint damage. Psoriatic arthritis of the hip is a chronic condition. It can develop before or after the telltale skin symptoms of psoriasis develop.
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What Is Hip Arthritis
Hip arthritis is deterioration of the cartilage of the hip joint. The hip is a ball-and-socket joint with the ball at the top of the thighbone . The ball is separated from the socket by cartilage. The cartilage acts as a slippery coating between the ball and the socket that allows the ball to glide and rotate smoothly when the leg moves. The labrum, a strong cartilage that lines the outer rim of the socket, provides stability.
When cartilage in the hip is damaged, it becomes rough. Thinning of cartilage narrows the space between the bones. In advanced cases, bone rubs on bone, and any movement can cause pain and stiffness. When there is friction at any point between bones, it can also lead to bone spurs bone growths on the edges of a bone that change its shape.
Education And Behavioural Change
Patient education has been recommended as a fundamental component of arthritic pain management however, objective evidence for efficacy remains poor. Systematic reviews report few well-designed randomized controlled trials of education alone . In contrast, more substantial evidence exists for the efficacy of lifestyle modification, particularly exercise and weight reduction .
Several systematic reviews evaluating aerobic and strengthening exercises have demonstrated clear benefits with regard to both pain reduction and improved function in people with knee and hip OA . Weight loss also reduces OA-associated knee pain in overweight individuals and improves physical activity, especially when combined with regular exercise . Measures that maintain adherence to a regime, such as keeping a personal diary or social support from friends, are thought to improve long-term outcome . Braces and orthotics can also be effective, although evidence for the efficacy of these measures has yet to be fully established in clinical trials.
A small proportion of patients with identifiable musculoskeletal pathology experience extreme and widespread symptoms, often associated with recognizable behavioural changes indicative of a chronic pain syndrome. These individuals may benefit from psychological/cognitive-behavioural therapies as part of a multidisciplinary strategy. Accumulating evidence attests to the efficacy of these approaches in such patients and is reviewed elsewhere .
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Im Not Sure If I Have Arthritis What Should I Do
First and foremost, if you think you might have arthritis, you should see your primary health care physician. They will perform a comprehensive examination, looking for disease-related symptoms such as inflammation and/or deformity.
Theyll go over your symptoms and order any blood tests, urine tests, joint fluid testing, or x-rays they think you need. If these tests reveal that you have arthritis, your doctor will devise a treatment plan for you based on the location and severity of your problem. This treatment strategy may include rest, exercise, and medications as needed.
You may likely be referred to a physical therapist to help guide you through your exercise routines. This is done to measure progress and ensure that you are completing your physical activity safely and correctly.
Physical therapy is a proven aid in arthritic pain relief without harmful pain-management drugs. According to the Arthritis Center at Johns Hopkins,
Early diagnosis can help avoid joint damage and disability, so you must contact a doctor as soon as you think you may be developing arthritic symptoms.
Key Points About Arthritis
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Arthritis and other rheumatic diseases cause pain, swelling, and limited movement in joints and connective tissues in the body.
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Arthritis and other rheumatic diseases can affect people of all ages. They are more common in women than men.
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Symptoms may include pain, stiffness, swelling, warmth, or redness in 1 or more joints.
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There is no cure for arthritis. The treatment goal is to limit pain and inflammation and preserve joint function.
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Treatment options include medicines, weight reduction, exercise, and surgery.
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Other Drugs Used To Treat Long
Alongside painkillers, there are other drugs that can be used to help manage pain, some of which were originally used for other problems. The ones most often used are:
- antidepressant drugs such as amitriptyline which is prescribed at a lower dose when its used for pain relief than it is when used for depression. These can help with pain by helping the brain to control sensations coming from other parts of the body. They can also help if pain is affecting your sleep.
- anticonvulsants or anti-epilepsy drugs . These can be particularly helpful for pain caused by nerve damage.
Surgery For Hip Arthritis
The progression of hip arthritis and effectiveness of various nonsurgical treatments varies. If nonsurgical options dont provide the desired pain relief and your quality of life suffers, it may be time to consider surgical options, such as:
- Hip replacement surgery, or hip arthroplasty, is a procedure to replace one or both ends of a damaged hip joint with artificial implants.
- Hip fusion is a procedure to fuse the bones of the hip joint together. It used to be the standard surgical treatment for hip arthritis before replacement surgeries became available, but is now a last-resort treatment as it severely impacts mobility.
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Exercise And Wise Use Of Joints
Exercise
Another key to coping with pain is to follow an exercise program designed by your doctor or physical therapist.
Your exercise program should include special range-of-motion exercises to help keep your joints movable. It should also include general fitness exercise such as swimming or walking. These help keep your heart, lungs, bones and muscles strong. Exercise also helps relieve stiffness and gives you an improved sense of well-being. Here are some tips to help you exercise properly:
- If you have a flare, do only gentle range-of-motion exercises.
- Start with just a few exercises and slowly add more.
- Listen to your body. If it hurts too much or if you begin to have too much pain, stop the exercise. Ask your doctor or therapist to help you learn the difference between normal exercise discomfort and too much exercise pain.
Using joints wisely and saving energy
Using your joints wisely means doing everyday tasks in ways that reduce the stress on painful joints. Saving your energy means “listening” to your body for signals that it needs to rest. It also means learning to pace yourself so you don’t become too tired. Here are a few guidelines for using your joints wisely and for saving your energy:
Risk Factors For Arthritis
Certain risk factors have been associated with arthritis. Some of these are modifiable while others are not.
Non-modifiable arthritis risk factors:
- Age: the risk of developing most types of arthritis increases with age.
- Sex: most types of arthritis are more common in females, and 60 percent of all people with arthritis are female. Gout is more common in males than females.
- Genetic factors: specific genes are associated with a higher risk of certain types of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis , systemic lupus erythematosus and ankylosing spondylitis.
Modifiable arthritis risk factors:
- Overweight and obesity: excess weight can contribute to both the onset and progression of knee osteoarthritis.
- Joint injuries: damage to a joint can contribute to the development of osteoarthritis in that joint.
- Infection: many microbial agents can infect joints and trigger the development of various forms of arthritis.
- Occupation: certain occupations that involve repetitive knee bending and squatting are associated with osteoarthritis of the knee.
Comorbidities
More than half of adults in the U.S. with arthritis report high blood pressure. High blood pressure is associated with heart disease, the most common comorbidity among adults with arthritis.
Around 1 in 5 of adults in the U.S. who have arthritis are smokers. Smoking is associated with chronic respiratory conditions, the second most common comorbidity among adults with arthritis.
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Have Arthritis Treat Your Pain With Physical Therapy
Arthritis is a disorder of the joints that millions of people live with. It results in joint inflammation that can cause aches, pains, stiffness, and limited mobility. While there are over 100 types of arthritis, they are typically split into two categories: monoarthritis, meaning only one joint is affected, and oligoarthritis, meaning multiple joints are affected.
The two most commonly reported types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis develops from wear and tear of cartilage, while rheumatoid arthritis develops from an overactive immune system.
If youre living with arthritis, then you know how limiting it can be. While arthritis is debilitating, it can undoubtedly be managed!
If you believe you may be living with arthritic symptoms, contact Optimus Health Center as soon as possible. Well help you manage your arthritic aches and pains and have you feeling better in no time.
Sip 4 Cups Of Green Tea A Day
In a study on mice, Case Western Reserve University researchers gave one group the equivalent of four cups of green tea a day and the other group the same amount of plain water. Then they gave all mice a substance to induce RA. The tea-drinking mice were far less likely to develop arthritis than the mice that drank water. Other research has found teas polyphenol antioxidants were anti-inflammatory, improved arthritis-related immune responses, and significantly reduced cartilage damage.
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Nsaids Vs Opioids: Was There A Clear Winner
A recent study compared oral NSAIDs and oral opioids for relief of osteoarthritis pain. Researchers at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Womens Hospital performed a meta-analysis . They included clinical trials in which patients with knee osteoarthritis were chosen at random to receive treatment that lasted at least 2 months.
The researchers carefully chose which studies to include, and two members of the team independently reviewed each study and extracted the data. They selected studies that used a common, well-validated, and widely-accepted measure of pain . Data from over 5,500 patients were included, and the researchers found that, on average, oral NSAID treatment reduced pain by around 18 points on the WOMAC scale. Treatment with less potent oral opioids also reduced pain by around 18 points, and potent oral opioids reduced pain by around 19 points on the WOMAC scale. Since, on average, patients started out with pain ratings of around 50-60 out of 100, each of these medications achieved around a 30% reduction in patients pain.
What Outcome Can I Expect If I Have Arthritis In My Hands
There is no cure for arthritis. However, you can usually manage mild to moderate symptoms with a combination of medication and non-medication approaches. Surgery may be an option if other treatments fail or the arthritis in your hands is severe. Your healthcare provider will explain what outcome you can expect for your type and severity of arthritis, your age, other existing medical conditions and other factors.
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Find A Community That Understands
Theres no reason to go through a psoriatic arthritis diagnosis or long-term journey alone. With the free PsA Healthline community, you can join a group and participate in live discussions, get matched with community members for a chance to make new friends, and stay up to date on the latest Psa news and research.
Synovial Tissue And Evolving Therapies
Now heres a challenge, said the next speaker, Christopher Buckley, MD, PhD, professor at Oxford University and director of clinical research at the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology there. His portion of the panel discussion focused on the synovial tissue microenvironment and insight into new therapies.
The aim would be to get the cellular basis to match the clinical basis, he explained, which he quickly noted is easier said than done. Among the challenges would be: how to determine how many cell types exist. Single-cell sequencing has undergone a revolution in cellular understanding, and the next revolution, he said, is the ability to get tissue with minimally invasive biopsies and use that tissue to identify how many cells are involved and how they come together. Then, researchers may be able to find a way to look at these cellular elements and make more sense of the disease.
If you want to be a hematologist, study the blood, Dr. Buckley explained. If you want to be a rheumatologist, study the tissue.
In one report, certain fibroblasts were found enriched in osteoarthritis and another in rheumatoid arthritis. That allows us to quantify, as you would do in the blood.In another study, some macrophages were enriched in osteoarthritis, others in rheumatoid arthritis. As for T-cells, yet another study found T peripheral helper cells were only found in seropositive patients not seronegative, he said.
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Make Sure Your Doctor Knows About All Medications Vitamins And Supplements
Talk to your doctor about which pain medications are best for you. Be sure to let your doctor know what other medications you are taking, even for other health problems. Besides other drugs you take, tell your doctor about any vitamins, supplements or herbal products you use. This can help you to avoid drug interactions. Here are other .
Wrist Hand Or Finger Splints
If youre going through a bad arthritis flare-up, using resting splints can help quiet the active inflammation and give you some relief, Dr. Osterman says. These are devices, usually made of plastic and secured with velcro, that temporarily immobilize the joint, which allows it time to rest, he explains.
Im only 22, but some of my fingers are already severely bent and fused from having juvenile arthritis. Splints are helpful for the pain and for helping keep them straight so hopefully they dont bend more, says rheumatoid arthritis patient Emma A., from Melbourne, Australia. My favorites are ring splints since they look like jewelry instead of a medical brace.
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Pain Management Without Medications
Effective pain management is an important part of treating arthritis and can improve quality of life for patients with arthritis. There are multiple ways for adults with arthritis to reduce their pain without using medications and risking their side effects. Studies have shown physical activity to be an effective way to manage arthritis pain. To learn more, see the Encouraging Self-Management section below.
Visit the Arthritis Foundations pages on arthritis pain managementExternalexternal icon and tips for managing chronic painExternalexternal icon.
Your Health Care Team
To help manage pain you may want to consult a primary care physician, nurse, pharmacist, physical therapist or other health care professional. You may be referred to a rheumatologist a doctor who specializes in treating arthritis.
Gaining control through communication
Even though pain may interfere with work relationships and daily life, few Americans talk to their doctors about it. Did you know:
- Fewer than half of Americans with severe or moderate pain report that they have a “great deal of control” over their pain.
- Fewer than half of people who visit their doctor for pain believe that their doctor completely understands how their pain makes them feel.
One of the best ways to gain control of pain is to talk to a doctor about it. Unlike a broken leg, pain cannot be seen in an x-ray or identified by a medical test. What a patient says may be the only way the doctor will know about the pain. And because people experience and respond to pain differently, how a patient describes pain is the best way for the doctor to understand what the patient is feeling. Only then can the doctor help the patient treat the pain.
Remember the patient and the doctor should share the same goal–reducing the patient’s pain.
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