According to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, arthritis affects 54.4 million adults in the United States. If you are one of these people, you know that arthritis can be debilitating, preventing you from enjoying hobbies and activities you once held dear. It is important to know how to prevent the worsening of arthritis so that you can continue to live a happy and full life. Let’s take a look at how this can be achieved.
Stay Active
Staying active is an important part of keeping arthritis in check. This is because maintaining a healthy weight helps to reduce arthritis symptoms. However, some physical activities can worsen arthritis. Appropriate activities to engage in include:
● Low-impact activities such as walking, swimming, cycling, or using an elliptical machine.
● Stretching
● Range-of-motion exercises
● Strength training
It is important to consult your doctor or physical therapist prior to beginning any new form of physical activity. They will be able to advise you on whether or not a specific activity will help or worsen your arthritis. They can also give you recommendations for activities you may not have considered.
Avoid High Intensity
While physical activity can prevent worsening of arthritis, it is important to avoid anything that is high-intensity or high-impact. This includes things like tennis, running, aggressive team sports, and calisthenics. High intensity activities will have the opposite effect. Instead of slowing down the worsening of your arthritis, it will actually make it much worse.
Target Inflammation
When it comes to arthritis, inflammation is one of the main drivers behind pain and joint damage in those suffering from the condition. For this reason, it is important to target inflammation, which means focusing on reducing the inflammatory response within the joints. This can be achieved by using:
● NSAIDs: These are common medications like ibuprofen and naproxen. They are the first-line treatments for reducing inflammation and pain in arthritis.
● Corticosteroids: These steroids can be used in higher doses to quickly suppress inflammation, but are often only used short-term due to potential side effects.
Targeting inflammation can not only prevent the worsening of symptoms, but actually reduce them.
Protect Your Joints
Arthritis affects the joints and so you must work to protect them. There are multiple methods for doing this, including:
● Using heat to relax your muscles and joints. You can use a hot pack, warm towel, or take a hot shower.
● After exercising, you can apply ice to your joints for up to 20 minutes to reduce swelling.
● If you feel any pain in your joints, take a break. Sharp pain or pain that’s worse than usual could indicate a problem.
● When carrying things, use your larger joints as much as possible. For example, use a shoulder strap to carry a bag instead of holding it in your hand.
By using these methods, you can prevent further damage to your joints.
Prioritize Rest and Recovery
Nothing worsens arthritis quicker than not giving your body enough time to rest and recover. You need to make a conscious effort to take it easy after any physical activity. This will give your joints a chance to rest and give time for any inflammation in them to go down. It is important to take time to do this, even if it means not doing something you would like to. Rest and recovery must be your top priority.
Consider Treatment Options
Of course, you should also consider medical options for treating your arthritis. This can include:
● Medications
● Surgery
● Physical therapy
● Cortisone injections
● Splints or braces
These treatment options should all be discussed with your doctor. They will be able to determine which treatment will help you prevent the worsening of your arthritis.
Monitor Your Symptoms
Finally, remember to monitor your symptoms. With arthritis in hands, it is all too easy to get used to your hands and fingers hurting. This can result in not noticing when symptoms start to worsen. Make an effort to take time each day to think about your symptoms and if they are getting worse. If they are, you should notify your doctor immediately.
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