Help for arthritis sufferers

Arthritis affectsmore than 45 million of people in the United States. Although doctors can’tcure this condition, there are number of ways available to relieve the pain anddiscomfort in arthritis patients. Proper restand sufficient amount of physical exercise, pain killer medications and heat orcold therapies are just some of the possible treatments that can ease arthritispain.

Arthritis Medications

When lookingfor the right medication to manage the pain associated with arthritis, youshould always seek the medical advice. Your doctor will help you to chooseproper pain killer that will ease the pain in the joints. For patientssuffering from mild arthritis pains, OTC (over the counter) pain killersusually do the trick. Aspirin, naproxen sodium or ibuprofen can relieve yourpain if it’s not severe, but there are also some drugs designed specificallyfor arthritis patients you might want to try.

If OTCproducts fail, doctors may advise you to use immunosuppressant medications,like methotrexate or corticosteroids (prednisone). These drugs work bydecreasing the activity of your immune system and therefore decrease and stopinflammation and pain in the joints.

Heat or ColdTreatments

Arthritis patientsusually respond well to either cold or heat. What works for which patient shouldbe fond out by the patient themselves. If your pain subsides with cold therapy, try some icepacks and apply them on the joints that hurt. The treatment should last for 20minutes and can be repeated several times per day, if needed. Other patientsrespond to heat. Heating pads have proven to be exceptionally useful, andsimply by using those on the affected joints for 20 minutes stiffness and paincan be relieved.

Physical Activity

Patients sufferingfrom arthritis often have very limited movement because of the pain. However, exercisinghas been scientifically proven method which increases flexibility of the jointsand decreases the joint pain at the same time. Strenuous exercisesare not advised for these patients, but walking, Pilates or swimming issomething they can enjoy and benefit from. 30 minutes of physical activity every day isone of the best treatments for these people.

Exercising inwarm water is very beneficial, especially in soaking bathtubs. The joints don’texperience the pressure, since the body weighs much less in water than on theground. Because of that, many doctors advise their arthritis patients to startdoing some stretching or even yoga positions in the warm tub. Consult yourdoctor and if he/she agrees, work out your hands, shoulders, thighs, calves andtoes in the bathtub. Temperature of the water should be about 100 and 102degrees, and some sea salts or Epsom salts added to the bath will also be ofa great help.