5 Lifestyle Changes That Can Help Ease Your Arthritis Pain

5 Lifestyle Changes That Can Help Ease Your Arthritis Pain

Living with arthritis can be difficult. This is a degenerative and painful condition, which results in pain, stiffness and inflammation. Dealing with the pain can be the worse part, especially as you get older. However, the good news is that there are some simple changes you can make to ease this pain. From a healthy diet for arthritis to stress reduction techniques, we reveal 5 lifestyle changes you can make in order to ease arthritis pain.

5 Lifestyle Changes That Can Help Ease Your Arthritis Pain

1. Changes to make around the home

There are numerous arthritis aids available that will make your life a lot easier around the home. Such devices can assist with your ability to pull, grip and reach objects. A prime example is handrails, especially in the bathroom. Handrails can help you to stand up or sit down. You should also consider replacing your doorknobs with door handles, as lever-type handles do not require turning or gripping, which can be difficult for someone with arthritis. There are also plenty of assistive devices available, including canes and walkers, and you should think about buying a reacher, which is a long rod with a handle, enabling you to reach items that are down low or up high.

2. Make getting ready easier

There are also a couple of simple changes you can make in order to get dressed with greater ease. For example, invest in a long-handled shoehorn to make it easier to slip on your shoes. You should also look for clothing that has Velcro instead of shoelaces and buttons.

3. Reduce stress

Arthritis pain can cause you to feel overwhelmed, depressed and stressed. However, it is a vicious cycle, as such emotions can then cause the pain to become a lot worse. This is why it is important to take steps to control your stress levels. There are different ways you can do this, including reading, relaxing, enjoying a hot bath, meditating a few times a week, and making sure you get at least eight hours sleep every night. You can also use a diary or journal to express your feelings, and take vacations if you are able to.

4. Maintain a healthy weight

If you are overweight, you will feel the symptoms of arthritis more, as your joints will be strained and stressed by the burden of excess pounds. This will lead to more stiffness, inflammation and wear in tear, which will cause more pain. This is why you need to eat a healthy diet and get plenty of exercise. It is also important to get a good dose of Vitamin C into your diet, as studies have proven that vitamin C can assist with managing inflammation. You can boost your Vitamin C intake by having a glass of grapefruit each day or enjoying orange as a snack whenever you are hungry.

5. Use hot and cold therapy

Simple hot and cold treatments can make a massive difference for those suffering from arthritis pain. You can ease the stiffness in your joints by having a long, warm bath or shower, especially in the morning. Additionally, you could use a heating pad or electric blanket during the night to keep your joints loose. On the flip side, cold treatments are great for joint pain relief. Use a bag of frozen vegetables or a gel ice pack and wrap them in a towel, then apply to any joints causing you pain for fast relief.

If you follow the five tips that have been mentioned above, you will definitely find it a lot easier to manage any arthritis pain you may be suffering from.