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There is no one way better than another to relieve arthritis pain. No one single technique is guaranteed to produce complete and consistent pain relief. You will often need a combination of methods which you will add to, and drop, over time. It’s not your imagination: Changes in temperature trigger changes in joint pain. Temperature or barometric pressure is a measurement of how much the air around you weighs. Researchers have reported that for every 10-degree drop in temperature there was a graduated increase in arthritis pain. Rising temperatures also caused a decrease in pain levels. In other words, there is an inverse ratio between temperature and pain. When the temperature goes up, pain goes down; when the temperature goes down, pain levels go up. Is your arthritis pain relief sabotaged by food allergies? |
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When you are searching for arthritis pain relief, you may want to test yourself for food allergies if your pain seems to come and go in relation to what you are eating. It's possible you are allergic to some kind of food or drink. Before you begin testing, though, keep a record of what you eat and all your symptoms. Some allergic reactions occur immediately after you eat the food, but other foods might not cause a reaction until many hours later. |
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In a simple test, give up the suspected foods or drinks for 5 days and notice if you feel any change. It will take up to 5 days for the food(s) to completely pass through your body.
You can also try a rare foods diet to test if you are allergic to the foods you eat regularly. Give up all foods you regularly eat for two weeks. For this test you will only eat foods that you eat less than once a week, the theory being that you are most likely to develop allergies to foods you eat all the time. Organic food is better for the test, otherwise you won't know if you are reacting to the food or the pesticide. And consider drinking spring water from glass bottles, not plastic. A small amount of plastic leaches into the water in plastic bottles. And some people react to the chlorine in tap water. If you must drink tap water, boil it for twenty minutes. After the test is over, start reintroducing foods you normally eat one at a time. It should be in as pure a form as possible, otherwise you won't know if it's the food or some other ingredient. Note your reactions. Consider asking the help of a nutritionist to help you with these tests. As far as possible, eat low calorie foods in order to lose weight. Eating proper portions is key to losing and maintaining a healthy weight and lightening the load on your joints. The benefits of losing weight are greatest for those with the most weight to lose, but even those who have an extra 10 or 20 pounds could benefit from losing it. Ditch the elaborate weight-loss plans, just burn more calories than you consume. For most people, that means either decreasing the amount you eat or increasing your level of exercise. The exercise you do to lose weight will likely produce more endorphins having additional pain-relieving benefits. Try Relaxation Relaxation techniques have been proven to relieve arthritis pain. Pain causes stress and stress makes the pain worse and may prolong it. To help break this vicious cycle, try these relaxing techniques: 1. Try progressive relaxation where you tense and relax your body's muscles from toe to head. Beginning with the muscles of your feet and calves, tense and gradually relax them. Continue upward until you have tensed and relaxed the muscles of your neck and face. Concentrate on deep breathing as you go. 2. Try massage. Massage relieves stress, and is one of the most useful, and widely-used, therapies for back pain. Researchers at the University of Miami School of Medicine, reported that chronic back-pain patients receiving two 30-minute massage sessions a week for five weeks reported less pain, anxiety, depression and better sleep than the control group. They also demonstrated better low-back flexibility and had higher levels of pain-relieving serotonin and dopamine. Swedish massage is a full-body treatment using oil or lotion to massage the top layers of muscles. It focuses on muscles and joints to improve their function. There are several other types of massage, including deep-tissue massage, neuromuscular massage and myofascial release. 3. Try manipulation. Both chiropractors and osteopathic physicians use manipulation to ease pain. The way they do it varies. Osteopathic manipulation often involves massaging the soft tissues (such as muscles) while chiropractic manipulation involves the ligaments and vertebrae of the spine. 4. Try guided imagery to take your focus off your stress and pain. Select a place in your house where you won't be disturbed. Play serene background music. Search your memory for the most beautiful, the most peaceful pain-free place you have ever been. Or imagine it in as much detail as possible, the sights, the sounds, the feelings. Take as much time as you need; reach a state of calm and peace before you open your eyes. For extremely effective guided imagery, use self hypnosis techniques. Hypnosis will put your subconscious mind in control and allow you to reach a state of deep relaxation. 5. Consider biofeedback to learn how to control your body’s responses to pain triggers. Sensors connect the body to a machine that shows them how their thoughts and actions affect the autonomic nervous system which, in turn, controls the involuntary actions of the body: heart, lungs, stomach and intestines as well as the release of stress hormones from the glands. 6. Or CBT: It has been proven that what your body feels is connected to what your mind thinks. Therapists using CBT, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, help people learn to control their thoughts so they can control their feelings and physical reactions. Stop Arthritis Pain with exercise 7. Move gently: One of the best things you can do for pain is to move, gently and in moderation. Many people do that by participating in ancient forms of movement such as yoga and tai chi. Yoga and Tai Chi strengthen the mind-body connection, allowing you to get your body fit while you get your mind in shape. They keep joints strong and muscles limber while erasing stress. Some gentle yoga exercises stretch and strengthen the muscles in the hips, back and legs; others improve muscle strength in the abdomen, which supports the lower back. When performed daily, yoga's breathing exercises, postures and meditation practices, have been shown to improve flexibility and balance, regulate heart rate, lower blood pressure and decrease anxiety. Tai chi has an added benefit, to improve balance. In a large research study, seniors practicing tai chi suffered 25 percent fewer injuries from falls than control groups. 8. Consider physical therapy: Physical therapists can observe how you sit, stand and walk and teach you how to adjust your posture so you can move with less pain. They will tailor exercises to your particular condition and help you relieve back pain, maintain motion and prevent joint stiffening. 9. Or consider getting a trainer: A trainer can show you the right way to exercise to prevent injury and avoid undue joint stress. Doing an exercise wrong is often more harmful than not exercising at all. 10. Exercise in water: Try exercising in water. Aquatic exercises let you keep doing many of the exercises you love, while taking a load off your joints. If you don't have access to a warm-water pool, you can do warm-water exercises on a smaller scale in your own tub, Jacuzzi or whirlpool bath. Warm water is a good place to stretch and strengthen your back muscles, even for those who have difficulty exercising on dry land. Acting as resistance to help build muscle strength, the buoyancy of water makes exercise seem easier and more comfortable. In a recent study by Japanese researchers, exercise, whether on land or in water, decreases pain levels, increases the body's production of inflammation-fighting hormones and decreases stress and anxiety, which can make back pain worse. Monitor how you're feeling after exercise. If your joints are still aching two hours after your workout, lighten your routine next time. 11. Acupuncture: If other therapies haven't helped your pain, you may want to try acupuncture. Acupuncture has gained credibility in the medical community. A key component of Chinese traditional medicine, acupuncture involves inserting thin needles at particular points on the body. The needles may be connected to a low-level electrical current for a more powerful effect. A National Institutes of Health panel concluded that acupuncture could help in the treatment of back pain without the side effects of medications. Western doctors believe acupuncture most likely works by prompting the body to release pain-relieving substances called endorphins. If you decide to try acupuncture, make sure your acupuncturist uses sterile, disposable needles and that they are licensed by your state and certified by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. 12. Use hot and cold treatments Heat may be dry or moist. Moist heat sources include warm water compresses, warm showers and baths. Soaking in a warm tub can be a good way to apply heat to all parts of the body at once, especially if you have arthritis in several joints. If your pain and stiffness are worse in the morning, try a warm bath when you awaken. If it increases throughout the day, a warm bath before bedtime will make it easier to fall asleep. Warm water is a good place to stretch and strengthen your back muscles, even for those who have difficulty exercising on dry land. Acting as resistance to help build muscle strength, the buoyancy of water makes exercise seem easier and more comfortable. In a recent study by Japanese researchers, exercise, whether on land or in water, decreases pain levels, increases the body's production of inflammation-fighting hormones and decreases stress and anxiety, which can make back pain worse. A hot bath or dip in a Jacuzzi can also bring immediate pain relief. Consult your doctor if you are older than 70 or have respiratory or cardiac problems. Dry heat sources include heat lamps, heating pads, or microwaveable heat packs and pads or wearable heat wraps that apply continuous heat to the body and can even be slept in. In a recent study researchers found that continuous heat administered by a wearable heat pack eased pain and stiffness all day and better than either of two commonly used drugs, ibuprofen and acetaminophen. Heat inducing creams are a temporary but effective way to relieve pain. To prevent being burned by your heating pad, do not use it with a heat inducing cream. If possible, stick to a heating pad with an automatic off-switch in case you fall asleep. Or apply cold. When pain is severe, applying something cold can numb the affected nerves and distract your mind from your pain. The coldness restricts the blood vessels and prevents fluids from leaking into the surrounding tissues. But using it for too long can cause stiffness. Cold may be applied with a commercially available cold pack, or you can make your own cold pack by wrapping a towel around a bag of frozen vegetables or filling a sealable plastic bag with ice. For best results, and to avoid causing damage to your skin, always put a towel between your skin and the cold pack. Apply cold packs for no more than 15 to 20 minutes at a time. If you have poor circulation, vasculitis or Raynaud's phenomenon, speak to your doctor or other health professional before applying cold therapy. If you have poor circulation, vasculitis or Raynaud's phenomenon, speak to your doctor or other health professional before applying cold therapy. |
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Especially Hip and Knee Pain
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You might want to try acupuncture. In a recent trial, acupuncture significantly reduced pain and improved function for patients with arthritis of the knee who had moderate to severe pain even though they took medications for it. While patients had a 40 percent reduction in pain, they did not begin to benefit until week 14 of the 26-week study.
Especially for pain in the wrist, thumb and fingers Pain, swelling, stiffness and/or loss of motion in your wrist, fingers and thumb may be making many normal activities painful if not impossible to do. And, since there are 27 bones in each hand, there are many joints that can cause you pain. The most commonly affected joints are the knuckles of the mid-finger and the joint at the base of the thumb. (If you have noticed that one or another type of computer mouse causes you pain in your thumb or fingers, stop using it immediately and switch to another type mouse.) You may have also developed lumps or nodules around your knuckles that are actually bone spurs. 17. Strengthening exercises for the arm and hand help steady the wrist and protect the joint from shock and stress. Range-of-motion and stretching exercises can improve your wrist motion. Wrist braces and supports will help reduce pain during activity and help you perform simple activities. 18. Avoid lifting and carrying heavy loads. Ultrasound treatments are performed by physical therapists or occupational therapists and may be useful for relieving your pain and inflammation. Or consult your doctor about cortisone injections to treat inflammation, a common problem in patients with wrist arthritis. Several surgical procedures may be done to the fingers including removing the bone spurs, fusing the joint, and replacing the joint. The most common surgery to treat the thumb is to remove a portion of the joint and bone and replace it with a tendon graft. This helps maintain motion at the base of the thumb and is effective at relieving pain. One surgical procedure for the wrist is wrist fusion, a procedure that secures the bones of the forearm to the bones in the wrist and hand. As it eliminates all movement at the wrist joint, it eliminates pain but the loss of motion prevents some normal activities. Another surgery for the wrist is proximal row carpectomy, a procedure to remove three of the small bones from the wrist joint. By removing the arthritic bone, pain is diminished and motion is preserved. It is only an option for some types of wrist arthritis. Arthritis pain in the foot: Arthritis sometimes develops because of flat feet or high arches. A flat foot causes less stability in the ligaments and results in excessive strain on the joints. A high arch is rigid and lacks mobility, causing joints to jam together. An injury to your foot may lead to arthritis at some later date. For example, arthritis in the big toe is often caused by kicking or jamming the toe, or by dropping something on it. Dropping something on the arch, or mid foot, or by spraining or fracturing it, may also lead to arthritis. In the ankle, arthritis is generally caused by a fracture or a severe sprain. Some patients with arthritis of the foot develop a bone spur at the affected joint. Bone spurs can limit the movement of the joint. Shoe pressure may cause pain at the site of a bone spur. Especially about arthritis back pain. You can stop arthritis back pain temporarily by ceasing the activity that is painful: if standing is painful, sit. If walking is painful, stop. 19. Stand and sit up straight. Jutting the abdomen forward can cause lower back pain, as can slouching in a desk chair. 20. Computer workers may develop back pain directly related to an incorrectly placed keyboard. Your arms should hang comfortably at your sides, elbows at a right angle, with your wrists relaxed while typing. Your upper body should be about 20 to 26 inches from your monitor, the top of which should be even with the top of your head in its normal position. 21. Yoga and Tai chi: recent research shows that exercises designed to strengthen back muscles may be useful even if you don't have back pain yet. In a recent study of 50 women between the ages of 58 and 75, those who performed back-strengthening exercises suffered fewer painful fractures of the vertebrae than women who didn't do the exercises. Tai chi has an added benefit, to improve balance. In a large research study, seniors practicing tai chi suffered 25 percent fewer injuries from falls than control groups. And, if you smoke, try to stop. Among smokers, research has shown a high incidence of spinal stenosis, the spinal canal not being large enough to accommodate the spinal cord. Smoking also decreases oxygen to the discs in your spine and weaken the ligaments that attach the bones of the vertebra to one another. Smoking can reduce bone mass and lead to degeneration of the spine. If you eventually require surgery for your back, studies show that smoking slows the healing process. 22. Restrict movement. People with a back condition that requires stability may benefit from a brace or corset at some time. Elasticized, close-fitting undergarments supporting the lower hips, lower back and abdomen can typically be worn under your clothing. Corsets are adjustable and made of elastic while braces are sturdier and have metal stays. Both are used to reduce pressure on the discs, small, circular cushions of tissue that act as shock absorbers between the vertebrae. Also to provide back and abdominal support and keep the spine stable while it heals. Braces are often prescribed for temporary pain relief, especially during times you'll be particularly active or sitting for long periods of time. They are also prescribed as a way to restrict movement of the spine during recovery from surgery. Revolution in pain management. From being largely dismissed and misunderstood, there has been a revolution in pain research. Researchers have found that all pain is not the same, and that it does not originate only in the limbs and joints, but may be caused by signals in the nervous system. Treatment programs are increasingly targeted toward identifying and treating the specific kind of pain a patient is feeling. 
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