How to Help Control Arthritis

Cold and Hold Treatments

Cold or heat treatments can be used to decrease the pain and increase muscle flexibility when you have rheumatoid arthritis. Cold or heat treatments can be combined with any of the exercises prescribed by your physical therapist.

• Use it after exercise
• It may help decrease swelling
• May help reduce overall inflammation
• It improves motion
• Will decreases joint ache

You can purchase gel packs that can be kept either cold in your freezer or heated in a normal microwave.

Change Your Lifestyle

• Avoid all impact-loading activities such as jumping, running, etc
• Reduce any climbing activities such as stairs, climbs, etc
• Avoid all activity that causes you any prolonged discomfort
• Practice good posture by standing up straight, and pushing your head back
• Avoid stooping when upright

How do I Remain Consistent When Doing Exercise?

• Stay in the habit of doing exercises every day
• Vary your exercise routine so you do not get bored, and rotate your exercises
• Seek help from a health professional, such as a physio therapist, to help you in setting up an exercise program for you
• Find an exercise friend, or use an exercise DVD

Weight Control and Diet

• Eat at set times, do not nibble all day
• Take multi-vitamin supplements, calcium and Omega-3
• Eat fruit and vegetables daily
• If you are overweight, you will make your rheumatoid arthritis worse

Help Control Pain with Pharmacy Medications

Simple tasks may be hard to do when your joints hurt. Some self-help devices shown below may aid minimize pain, stress, discomfort and may help you in accomplishing some of your daily tasks.

• Stomach supports to lessen stress on your back
• Sock and shoe sliders to aid with getting dressed
• Orthotics to help you improve foot alignment
• Jar openers are very handy
• Large grips for pens, or use those made of rubber, garden tools and any other hand-held objects

Use Medication

A large part of the treatment for rheumatoid arthritis is medication. Many medications and drugs are used for treating rheumatoid arthritis, and they fall into a number of classes and categories.

• Topical medications such as cream, balms, gels, ointments, lotions
• DMARDs which are Disease-Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs
• Other drugs include treatments used for gout, fibromyalgia, and osteoporosis
• COX-2 Inhibitors
• Corticosteroids. Beware long term use will cause other problems such as Osteoporosis
• BRMs which are Biologic Response Modifiers
• Pain medications referred to as Analgesics
• NSAIDs known as Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs

Arthritis can range from an annoyance to chronic. If you require further advice please visit our Arthritis Forum