Arthritis is a major cause of disability in the United States, affecting an estimated one in every five American adults. If you’re among the many women and men dealing with arthritis pain day in and day out, it’s likely affecting your mobility and the quality of your life. Many adults living with arthritis don’t want to depend on addictive medications to relieve arthritis pain, so it’s good to know there are natural ways to minimize and manage arthritis pain.
At Ohio Pain Clinic, Dr. Amol Soin is a triple board-certified pain management physician who takes an integrative approach to identify the underlying causes of your arthritis pain. He offers alternatives to addictive medications and invasive surgeries to his patients in Centerville and Beavercreek, Ohio, and the surrounding communities. Using the latest treatments and technologies, Dr. Soin helps you get arthritis pain under control so you can enjoy a more active lifestyle.
Here’s how you can minimize your pain and increase mobility in your affected joints.
Contrary to how you may feel, it’s important to keep moving when you have arthritis. Gentle daily stretches that put your joints through their full range of motion can help keep your body flexible and limber. Regular exercise actually decreases your joint pain and stiffness and helps improve your range of motion. Over time, exercise increases your endurance as well.
Ask Dr. Soin which types of exercises are best for your individual needs to minimize arthritis pain. For the most part, you’ll want to focus on stretching and low-impact activities like walking, riding a bike, or swimming. Jumping, running, and high-impact aerobics can make joint pain worse and leave you feeling sore the next day. It’s best to stick to movement that doesn’t aggravate your tender joints, but rather helps them stay mobile.
Alternating between hot and cold therapies is often a good way to relieve the pain and swelling associated with achy, arthritic joints. Be sure to use heating pads or ice packs for just 20 minutes at a time. Heat can temporarily relieve discomfort before you exercise, and ice can relieve sore muscles and inflammation after an activity.
Added weight on your joints, especially if you have osteoarthritis in your knees, can increase arthritis pain and discomfort. Make small changes that include eating a healthy diet and moving more to gradually shed extra pounds. As you lose weight, you’ll continue to feel better, which often makes it easier to keep exercising.
Shedding extra pounds takes pressure off your weight-bearing joints, including your hips, knees, and feet. Research shows that losing just 10-12 pounds can reduce pain and improve function for adults with arthritis.
If you’re not quite ready to launch an exercise plan of your own, physical therapy can help get you there. Dr. Soin customizes a physical therapy treatment plan that can help you achieve your goals of improving flexibility, restoring joint function, and strengthening your muscles, so you’re able to continue exercising on your own. Physical therapy combined with nonaddictive medications can help you get back on your feet and on the road to feeling less arthritis pain in the long run.
Depression is common for adults suffering from chronic arthritis pain. If you find yourself feeling sad and left out of activities because of arthritis pain, it’s a good idea to make a conscious effort to take the focus off of your pain. Meditation, yoga, and massage therapy in combination with your medical arthritis management plan can help you relax and take the focus off your physical condition.
If you’re living with arthritis and you’re not sure where to begin, Dr. Soin can help. Call our friendly office staff to schedule an appointment at the Ohio Pain Clinic location closest to you. Or you can request an appointment through our convenient online booking system at any time of the night or day.
