Tips for Handling Arthritis Pain

Arthritis is a physical condition that causes extensive damage to the joints of the body. It can hamper mobility and can greatly decrease the ability of the patient from performing regular day-to-day activities. Pain is an integral part of this condition and individuals suffering from arthritis have constant pain in their joints. This makes their condition all the more difficult. There are some ways to cope with the pain resulting out of arthritis and patients can try one of these to alleviate their pain.

The most common way to cope with arthritis pain is to take muscle pain relievers that are available in drug stores. A lot of it is available over the counter, though some require prescription from the doctor. There are pros and cons with either kind of medicines. Over the counter medications usually do not have any side effect, but they are mild and may not give the required relief. Prescription drugs, on the other hand, are very powerful and will give immediate relief from pain, but they may have side-effects in the long run. It is up to the patient to decide the kind of drug that must be taken, depending on the age and the severity of the pain.

Another important tip to cope with the pain is to make changes to the current lifestyle. Diet must include more calcium and vitamin and less of protein and fat. So, it is a good idea to include more fruits, vegetables, lean meat and milk. Exercise is an important part of preventing and treating arthritis. When the joints are moved, even at a very slow pace, it can provide relief and it can help them to keep working. Excess weight can make arthritis worse and so one must always be cautious of it. Obese and overweight people must take efforts to reduce weight by changing the diet and by trying to include more exercise into the daily activities. Some relaxation techniques also have a good effect on the pain. Yoga, Tai chi and acupuncture are also used to get relief from the pain.

Physical therapy can help to alleviate the pain. It helps to restore movement in the joints. It can be a very slow, yet effective process. When everything else has failed, the final way to treat pain is to go in for Arthroplasty. It is a surgical procedure that helps to bring movement in the joints.

These are some of the ways to cope with pain from arthritis.