Treating Arthritis

Each kind of arthritis is handled a little differently, but there are some common treatment choices. Rest, exercise, eating a healthy, well-balanced diet, and learning the right way to use and protect your joints are key to living with any kind of arthritis. The right shoes and a cane can help with pain in the feet, knees, and hips when walking. You can also find gadgets to help you open jars and bottles or to turn the door knobs in your house more easily.

In addition, there are also medicines that can help with the pain and swelling. Acetaminophen can safely ease arthritis pain. Some NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), like ibuprofen and naproxen, are sold without a prescription. Other NSAIDs must be prescribed by a doctor. But in 2005, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned people about the possible side effects of some NSAIDs, both those sold with or without a prescription. You should read the warnings on the package or insert that comes with the drug. Talk to your doctor about if and how you should use acetaminophen or NSAIDs for your arthritis pain. You can also check with the FDA for more information about these drugs.

Some treatments are special for each common type of arthritis.

Osteoarthritis

Medicines can help you control OA pain. Rest and exercise will make it easier for you to move your joints. Keeping your weight down is a good idea. If pain from OA in your knee is very bad, your doctor might give you shots in the joint. This can help you to move your knee and get about without pain. Some people have surgery to repair or replace damaged joints.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

With treatment, the pain and swelling from RA will get better, and joint damage might slow down or stop. You may find it easier to move around, and you will just feel better. In addition to pain and anti-inflammatory medicines, your doctor might suggest antirheumatic drugs, called DMARDs (disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs). These can slow damage from the disease. Medicines like prednisone, known as corticosteroids, can ease swelling while you wait for DMARDs to take effect. Another type of drug, biologic response modifiers, blocks the damage done by the immune system. They sometimes help people with mild-to-moderate RA when other treatments have not worked.

Gout

If you have had an attack of gout, talk to your doctor to learn why you had the attack and how to prevent future attacks. The most common treatment for an acute attack of gout uses NSAIDs or corticosteroids like prednisone. This reduces swelling, so you may start to feel better within a few hours after treatment. The attack usually goes away fully within a few days. If you have had several attacks, your doctor can prescribe medicines to prevent future ones.

Arthritis can happen at any age. Sore joints begin to limit the activities you enjoy. The knuckles on your fingers seem swollen, your knees and ankles seem to ache a lot, your back hurts when you wake up in the morning. 

Vitamin C is needed to make collagen, which makes up cartilage. Cartilage cushions bones, and not having enough leads to deterioration and osteoarthritis. Vitamin C is thought to play a role in treating rheumatoid arthritis because it battles free radicals that injure cartilage. 

The ratio of omega 3 to 6 to 9's is weighted towards the high end in most foods, but the body needs more 3's. These are the long chain fatty acids which help fight inflammation. Inflammation is the root cause of most disease, so omega 3’s is becoming very popular for everything from avoiding cancer to arthritis. Oily fish such as wild Alaskan salmon, walnuts, freshly ground flaxseed or a good omega-3 supplement may help reduce the inflammation and pain of arthritis. Pay attention to the fish source of the omega-3 supplement and ensure it is a high quality / low toxic load source such as Krill oil. 

Starches such as bread, rice, beans, pasta, and potatoes give the body energy. Fiber, the undigested portion of the plants we eat, adds bulk and helps with the process of elimination. 

Eat from all 4 basic food groups (breads and cereals, fruits and vegetables, meats, and dairy) to obtain the needed forty-plus essential nutrients to maintain good health. 

There are others precautions also you should take like doing light exercises, walking, jogging, cycling, etc. to remain free from joint locks and pain. Also you must consult your physiotherapist regularly when undertaking exercises related to arthritis. 

Glucosamine, MSM, chondroitin, cetyl myristoleate (CMO), and arnica have all shown promise in managing arthritis to slow progression and reduce symptoms. 

Good eating habits can keep weight within a healthy range. But it is the incorporation of physical activity in one's life that has the most impact on keeping pounds off and promoting wellness. If you are not used to being physically active, it is best to start off slowly. Begin with ten minutes each day and build up to 30-45 minutes of activity on most days of the week. It is not even necessary to exercise 30 minutes at a time; an accumulation of 30 minutes over the course of the day is just as beneficial. 

Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble anti-oxidant vitamin. Vitamin C is required for the synthesis of collagen and dentin. Collagen is the structural component of blood vessels, bones, ligaments, and tendons, while dentin is the structural component of teeth. Vitamin C is also an effective antioxidant that protects proteins and genetic materials (RNA and DNA) from damage by free radicals. 

They're rich in vitamin C, which acts as a natural antihistamine. Some studies link low levels of C with allergies. When your allergies are flaring up, consider taking a vitamin C supplement. 

Softer fat and oils from sunflower or corn sources are high in omega-6 polyunsaturated, and they are also responsible for increasing inflammation in your body. Monounsaturated are to be found in rapeseed and olive oil, and although they might not make your inflammation any worse, they have just as many calories, so keeping a close watch on your intake is quite important if you are aiming for that weight loss.