Natural Home Remedies For Arthritis Pain
Are you stiff when you get up? Do your joints ache when you move? How long have you felt like that? Is it just a byproduct of getting older? Is it something you have to just “deal with”? Recent studies have shown that not only are there some prescription remedies for dealing with arthritis, but also some home remedies that might be just as good. We’ll go through some of the top home remedies that you can try for yourself.
Arthritis Pain in Seniors
Arthritis attacks bones and joint tissue. This can cause stiffness and pain in your joints as you move, especially if it’s after a period of rest, or inactivity. As with most prevention of ailments and illness, the first step in preventing arthritis is eating a healthy well-balanced diet, exercise, weight loss if one is obese, and getting enough sleep.
There are two types of arthritis, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis, osteoarthritis involves wear-and-tear damage to a joint's cartilage. On the other hand, rheumatoid arthritis is when the body's immune system attacks the lining of the joint capsule, causing the joint to become inflamed and swollen, and can even eventually destroy the cartilage and bone within the joint.
Image by Everyday Health {link to everydayhealth.com}.
7 Natural Remedies for Treating Arthritis
There are many ways to treat arthritis, but here are seven common, and in some ways easy, treatments for helping prevent inflammation or help with the pain.
1. Weight Management
Added weight puts extra stress on your body. This stress often manifests itself as painful arthritis. A 2013 study shows how weight loss can help with pain and promotes better joint function in adults with osteoarthritis. Seniors that lost weight immediately reported a reduction in arthritis pain, and as seniors lost weight they became more flexible allowing for further exercise and comfort. This article from Everyday Health goes more in depth on how weight loss can be beneficial for seniors living with arthritis.
2. Exercising
The best way to maintain weight management, and weight loss, is an exercise program. As weight is reduced flexibility increases, allowing for more exercise, and more comfort. This exercise combined with a good diet can not only lead to less inflammation, but also lead to a reported improved physical quality of life.
3. Acupuncture Therapy
Acupuncture has been around for nearly 2,000 years and is used for many maladies and ailments, including arthritis. “Research shows that inserting an acupuncture needle induces the production of cortisol, a hormone that helps control inflammation. Acupuncture may stimulate activity of other pain-relieving chemicals in the body as well,” according to www.arthritis.org, a leading advocate for sufferers of arthritis.
4. Using Cold & Hot Therapy
Both heat and cold therapy are recommended for easing the pain of arthritis, but what about alternating them? Heat dilates the blood vessels, stimulates blood circulation, and reduces muscle spasms, while cold cold compresses reduce swelling by constricting blood vessels. Using both treatments might help reduce the severity of the pain.
5. Eating Healthy
While there is no perfect diet for any ailment, there are some specific foods that can help fight inflammation and improve joint symptoms. Studies have shown that a Mediterranean diet can lower blood pressure, curb inflammation, benefit your heart as well as your joints, and also help encourage weight loss. This diet consists primarily of fish, nuts and seeds, fruits and vegetables, olive oils, beans, and nightshade vegetables.
Check out our recent blog post for more information and ideas on healthy food for seniors.
6. Turmeric
Turmeric’s main active component is curcumin. Curcumin has anti-inflammatory abilities, making it an interesting treatment for a number of health conditions, including reduced pain and increased ease of movement in people with osteoarthritis. A recent study found that taking turmeric extract multiple times daily was comparable to six tablets of ibuprofen daily. Exciting studies about the benefits of turmeric are ongoing.
7. Meditation to Reduce Stress
There have been recent studies that show very encouraging data on the benefits of meditation in dealing with the effects of arthritis. There are currently five types of meditation that are believed to positively affect a senior’s ability to deal with arthritis and the pain caused by it: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Active Meditation, Yoga Breathing, Guided Imagery, and Transcendental Meditation. Learn more about each of these types of meditation for arthritis from the following Arthritis Foundation article.
Arthritis Pain Relief at Ridgeline
Pain from arthritis can range from distracting and annoying to debilitating. Living in a community that can monitor and support your healthy decision can make all of the difference. Proper nutrition from our Chef created, home cooked, healthy meals can be a great start. Joining an exercise or walking club to stay fit can help. Participating in a guided meditation from one of our guest events is never a bad idea. Pick a community where you can do all of those things to try to make your life healthier, and more enjoyable, and less painful!
If you or a loved one are interested in learning more about the care you can receive at a Ridgeline community, we’d love to hear from you. Give us a call today or fill out our online form to schedule a tour!