You can't reverse your arthritis, but certain treatments can help slow the progression of the disease and help you manage your condition. Getting the right kind of treatment can ease your pain and help you maintain or even improve function, which will enable you to carry out daily activities.
There is no cure for arthritis. The treatment goal is to limit pain and inflammation and preserve joint function. Treatment options include medicines, weight reduction, exercise, and surgery.
Walking is recommended for people with arthritis as it's low impact, helps to keep the joints flexible, helps bone health and reduces the risk of osteoporosis. If you do experience pain or you're very stiff afterwards try doing a bit less, factor in more rest and check in with your GP, if you need to.
Vitamins D and K are both important for bone strength, and vitamin K is involved in cartilage structure. Supplementing these two nutrients may be helpful if you're deficient in them.
Examples of aerobic exercises that are easy on joints include walking, bicycling, swimming and water aerobics. Try to work up to 150 minutes of somewhat hard aerobic exercise every week. You can exercise 10 minutes at a time if that's easier on your joints.
Arthritis pain in the legs can develop as a result of inflammation in the joints, tendons, or ligaments. The leg muscles may become weak and painful as a result of trying to support the painful or inflamed affected joints. Some individuals also develop leg pain from arthritis due to changes in the nerves.
Increased weight adds stress to weight-bearing joints, such as your hips and knees. Also, fat tissue produces proteins that can cause harmful inflammation in and around your joints. Joint injuries. Injuries, such as those that occur when playing sports or from an accident, can increase the risk of osteoarthritis.
It's Anti-Inflammatory
Magnesium is also anti-inflammatory which is very helpful when it comes to combating the painful flare-ups of arthritis. This is because it moves your blood sugar quickly into your muscles and reduces the C-reactive protein (CRP) marker in the body which causes inflammation.
Some research has shown that people with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis may benefit from magnesium in their diet or as a supplement. Since arthritis can cause inflammation, magnesium's anti-inflammatory effects might help some people with the condition.
Research note: Preliminary studies suggest a type of vitamin B3 called niacinamide may improve osteoarthritis (OA) symptoms and reduce the need for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) by suppressing inflammation.
Different symptoms, different benefits
For osteoarthritis, massage can help decrease swelling and pain, improve joint mobility and provide tension and stress relief.
Physical therapy to improve strength and range of motion. Weight loss (if applicable) to reduce stress placed on the joint. Bracing to provide more stability to the joint. Medications and injections, such as hyaluronic acid injections, to control pain and inflammation and promote healing.
Should I avoid certain types of exercise if I have arthritis? For arthritis that affects the joints, running, jogging, jumping rope, high impact aerobics or any other exercise where both feet are off the ground at the same time are to be avoided.
Tea is one of the best beverages for arthritis patients due to its many health benefits. Green, black and white teas are all rich in anti-inflammatory compounds like polyphenols. Green tea is generally viewed as the most beneficial because of its active ingredient “epigallocatechin-3-gallate” or EGCG.
Anti-inflammatory foods may help someone with arthritis manage their symptoms. These include plant-based foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and anti-inflammatory fats.
Supplements for joint lubrication can be quite effective.
These include glucosamine, chondroitin, fish oil, turmeric, and S-adenosyl-L-methionine. Always speak with a doctor before taking a new supplement as they may interact with other medications or cause adverse side effects.
NSAIDs are the most effective oral medicines for OA. They include ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) naproxen (Aleve) and diclofenac (Voltaren, others). All work by blocking enzymes that cause pain and swelling.
Vitamin B complex is a type of non-antioxidant vitamin. We don't fully understand how this type of vitamin may treat arthritis-related conditions, but evidence from trials suggests that vitamins B3, B9 and B12 might be of some benefit for treating osteoarthritis, particularly in improving joint mobility and hand grip.
Yes! You can and should take magnesium and vitamin D together. In fact, the bioavailability of vitamin D largely relies on magnesium. Also, many nutrients wouldn't work efficiently without magnesium, further highlighting the importance of this mineral!
When vitamin D levels are normal, RA symptoms and pain and overall health are improved. The National Institutes of Health recommends a dietary allowance of 600 international units (IUs) per day of vitamin D. People who are deficient need more and may benefit from taking 1-2,000 IUs per day.
Arthritis leg pain generally is associated with specific joints--either feet, knees, or hips. When cartilage around the joint breaks down, pain, stiffness, and swelling can result. Arthritic joints may also be warm and have limited movement. If joint pain lasts beyond three days, see a health care provider.
Available in both over-the-counter and prescription versions, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen are a top-line treatment for reducing the pain, swelling, and redness associated with arthritis, including when arthritis strikes in the feet.
Osteoarthritis is a very common condition which can affect any joint in the body. It's most likely to affect the joints that bear most of our weight, such as the knees and feet. Joints that we use a lot in everyday life, such as the joints of the hand, are also commonly affected.