Learn as much as you can about the disease. The more you know about the symptoms and treatments for arthritis, the more of an active role you can play in your treatment plan. It can also help you to feel less alone, to read about what others with the condition are going through and what they've been trying.
Consult with your physician before you change how often you take your medication. Medications react to change differently and stopping a medicine suddenly can potentially have serious health risks.
For pain that causes fatigue, try heat. It is commonly believed that cold packs work best for pain, but this might not be true for those with arthritis. When pain is fatiguing you need warm packs, as it will help you to gain energy as well as relieving the pain.
Don't give up on finding a way to manage your arthritis pain. Dealing with a debilitating condition can leave you feeling frustrated and hopeless - particularly if you are having trouble finding any treatment options that work. If what you are doing is not working, talk to your doctor about other treatment options or explore alternative treatments such as acupuncture, nutrition or holistic medicine until you find something that helps.
Eating a proper diet can have a pronounced effect on arthritis pain. Research shows that those who eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, beans and include olive oil in their cooking will have improved physical functioning and greater vitality after three months. Foods such as fruits and vegetables are very great for your body.
Know the Arthritis Triad: osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Each different kind of arthritis should be dealt with in different ways.
Set goals for yourself. Planning out what you want to do for the day or week ahead can help to motivate you into actually getting it done. You should even speak to your doctor about what you want to accomplish within the next few months or year, in order to work out a plan that will help you do it.
One if the big factors that has been linked to arthritis and decreasing your overall health is smoking. Do not smoke. This lifestyle factor has been associated and known to cause severe joint damage when coupled with people who have arthritis. So improve your health and make your joints feel better by not smoking.
Learn good posture. The better your stance, the less stress you put on your joints. Ask your doctor for tips on gaining the best posture you can, and work on it daily as a routine. Once you develop good posture, you will feel less pain in your back and knees, as well as your feet and neck.
A tip to help with arthritis pain is to get in the water and do some exercise. Water aerobics is a low impact form of exercise that causes very little stress to your joints, but will provide enough resistance to insure you have a good workout. Check with your local YMCA or community center pool to see if they have water aerobics classes.
When caring for arthritis, take a holistic approach that takes the health of your entire body, mind and http://www.mnn.com/health/fitness-well-being/stories/natural-remedies-for-arthritis spirit into account. By staying at a good weight, keeping your muscles toned to help support your joints, eating well, and staying hydrated, you are doing your part to support your arthritis therapy plan.
You cannot plan when your arthritis will flare, so plan your activities accordingly. If you prepare and plan for arthritis problems before they happen, you will not be disappointed if symptoms show and you have to take a break. If you start an activity, try to make sure you can end at any point so that if you have an arthritis flare up, you can come back to it later.
Spend your downtime thinking about all the things you'll do when you're back on your feet. Arthritis can knock you down for a day or two, but visualizing all the great things you'll be doing tomorrow can help to keep your spirits up and keep you motivated to get moving again.
Make sure that you are getting your required amount of sleep, even if you have to take naps. If you find yourself napping daily to make sure you are resting sufficiently, it makes sense to just make a scheduled habit of this to properly be proactive about your arthritis.
The painful symptoms of arthritis can be relieved most effectively when the source of the disorder is identified first. You will be much more equipped to take better control of your arthritis if you educate yourself about it.
