11 Ways to Relieve Pain Naturally - Arthritis-health

11 Ways to Relieve Pain Naturally · 1. Get moving. Exercise is frequently associated with a decrease in arthritis joint pain. · 2. Eat more fiber · 3. Warm-up ... Skiptomaincontent YouarehereBlog 11WaystoRelievePainNaturally   share   pinit   Newsletters BySusanBlum,MD,MPH Manypeoplewitharthritiswanttotreattheirjointpainwithouttheexpenseandpotentialsideeffectsofmedications.Thereareseveralnaturalwaystodecreasepainandimproveday-to-dayliving.Tryoneoracombinationoftheseapproachesandseewhatworksforyou. KneeStrengtheningExercises Save Stretchingandstrengtheningyourjointsaffectedbyarthritiscanhelpdecreasepainandincreaseflexibility.SeeKneeStrengtheningExercises 1.Getmoving Exerciseisfrequentlyassociatedwithadecreaseinarthritisjointpain.1-5Exercisemayreducepainbecauseitstrengthensmusclesthatsupportjoints,triggersthebodytoproducesendorphinsthatrelievepain,both,orsomethingelse. SeeWaystoGetExerciseWhenYouHaveArthritis Whattypeofexerciseyoudodependsonyourcurrentfitnesslevelandotherfactors,suchaswhereyouliveandwhetheryouhaveaccesstoagym.Walking,poolexercise,andtaichiareconsideredgentleonjointsandgoodforbeginners. SeeExercisingwithArthritis 2.Eatmorefiber Researchsuggeststhatpeoplewhoeathigh-fiberdietshavelessosteoarthritispain.6,7Moreover,peoplewhoeatfoodshighinfiberproducelotsofshort-chainfattyacids,whichcanhelpfosterahealthybalanceofmicrobesinthedigestivetract.Animbalanceofmicrobes—aconditioncalledgutdysbiosis—isassociatedwithahigherriskofbody-wideinflammationandinflammatoryarthriticdiseases,suchasrheumatoidarthritisandankylosingspondylitis.8-10 advertisement 3.Warm-upachingjoints Applyingheattopainfuljointscaneaseyourdiscomfort.Itcanincreasebloodflowtosoremuscles,loosensstiffjoints,andcandistractthebrainfrompain.Tryheattherapyusinga: Hotwaterbottle Gel-filledpadthatcanbeheatedinthemicrowave Electricheatingpad Hotbath SeeWhenandWhytoApplyHeattoanArthriticJoint Youcanalsobuyaheatwrap,suchasThermacare,whichcanprovidecontinuous,low-levelheatforseveralhourswhileyougoaboutyourday. Watch:Video:HowtoMakeaHomemadeHeatPack 4.Orcooldownjoints Arthritistypicallygoeshand-in-handwithpainfuljointinflammation.Applyingacoldcompresstotheskinovertheaffectedjointcanreducepainfulinflammation.Italsomayslownerveimpulses,whichcaninterruptthepainsignals.11 See3TypesofColdPacksforArthritis Video:HowtoMake5QuickandEasyIcePacks Save Homemadeicepackscanhelpreducetheinflammationandpainassociatedwitharthritis.WatchVideo:HowtoMake5QuickandEasyIcePacks 5.Cultivaterelationships Peoplewithchronicpainwhohavesocialnetworkstendtoratetheirpainlowerandarelesslikelytoreportthatpaininterfereswiththeirday-to-dayactivities.12Therearemanywaystoexpandyoursocialnetwork—forexample,youcanjoinabookclub,volunteer,orparticipateinalocalsupportgroupforpeoplewithchronicpain.Ifleavingthehouseposeschallenges,considerjoininganonlinegroupwherepeoplewithyourconditioncanshareexperiencesandoffersupport. VisitourBackandNeckPainSupportGrouptofindadviceandsupportfromotherswithchronicpain. 6.Stretch Yourbodyisdesignedformovement.Ironically,ifyou'renotmovingmuchbecauseyou'reinpain,yourinactivitycanmakethepainworse.Gentlestretchescanhelpyoumaintainyourmobilityandrangeofmotion—andkeeppainatbay.Yourdoctororphysicaltherapistcanhelpyoufindstretchesandexercisesthatareappropriateforyouruniquesituation. SeeKneeStretchesandShoulderStretches 7.Tryturmeric Theturmericroothasbeenshowntohavegreatanti-inflammatorypropertiesandmanypeopleaddturmericpowdertosauces,smoothies,ortea.Butcurcumin,theactiveingredientinturmeric,onlymakesupabout3%ofit,soexpertsoftensuggestthatpeopletakecurcuminsupplementsinordertogetaneffectiveamount. Formanypeople,adailycurcuminsupplementof200mgto1,000mgisokay.However,checkwithyourprimaryhealthproviderbeforetakinganysupplementtomakesureitwon’tinteractwithyourcurrentmedicationsorputyouatriskforotherhealthconditions.Also,keepaneyeoutforsupplementsthatcontainpreservativesorotheradditives,suchasgluten,dairy,andsoy. SeeTurmericandCurcuminforArthritis 8.Practicegoodsleephabits Gettingenoughsleepisimportantformanagingpainandpromotinghealing.Practicehabitsthathelpyougetrestful,adequatesleep.Forexample,makeyourbedroomquietanddark,banelectronicsfromthebedroom,andestablisharegularscheduleforgoingtobedandgettingup. SeeTherapiesforTreatingInsomnia 9.Meditate Meditationisaquick,simple,andfreewaytorelax.Oneeasymethod:chooseasoundthatispleasingtoyoubuthasnoparticularmeaning,sitorliesomewherecomfortable,closeyoureyes,andrepeatthesoundinyourmind.Youcanalsotryguidedmeditation,whichinvolvesasourcegivingyousuggestionstoguideyourmeditativethoughts.Manyphoneapps,onlinevideos,andDVDsofferguidedmeditation. Startwithafewminutesofmeditationpersession.Youmaygraduallylengthenyourdailymeditationtimeto10,20,oreven30minutes. 10.Tryacupuncture It'snotwellunderstoodhowthisancientChinesehealingtechniquefunctions,butsomepeoplereportithelpsreducetheirchronicpain. Whilethereisnotalotofhigh-qualityresearchregardingacupuncture,thestudiesthatdoexistsuggestacupuncturemayworkbetterthanaplacebototreat: Kneeandhiparthritis13,14 Temporomandibularjointdisorders(TMJ)15,16 Neckpain17 Sciaticarelatedbackpain18 Acupunctureisgenerallyregulatedbystates.AnumberofstatesrequireacupuncturiststopassexaminationsconductedbytheNationalCertificationCommissionforAcupunctureandOrientalMedicinetobecomelicensedacupuncturepractitioners.Aswithanyhealthcareprofessional,askinginadvanceaboutthepractitioner'sexperienceandtrainingisadvised. SeeAcupunctureandReikiHealingforArthritis advertisement 11.Enjoyamassage Therapeuticmassagecanloosenyourtightmuscles,getyourbloodflowing,andcalmyourmind.Areviewofseveralsmallmedicalstudies19foundmassagemayhelpreducepaininpeoplewhohaveosteoarthritisandrheumatoidarthritis,thoughresultsweremixed. SeeManualTherapiesforArthritisPain Thereareseveralgreatwaystoreduceyourjointpainthatdon’tinvolvemedication.Anaturaltreatmentmayreducepainbyasmallamount,butwhencombinedwithothernaturaltreatments,youmaybeabletocutyourpaindramatically.Considertryingtheideasabove,andaskyourhealthcareproviderforothersuggestions.Thebesttreatmentsareonesthatsuityourlifestyleandthatyoucancommittointhelongterm. Learnmore: TaiChiandYogaforArthritis Top4SupplementstoTreatArthritisPain References 1.FransenM,McConnellS,BellM. Therapeuticexerciseforpeoplewithosteoarthritisofthehiporknee.Asystematicreview. TheJournalofrheumatology.2002;29(8):1737–45.2.BuschAJ,BarberKA,OverendTJ,PelosoPM,SchachterCL. Exercisefortreatingfibromyalgiasyndrome.TheCochranedatabaseofsystematicreviews.2007;(4):CD00378610.1002/14651858.CD003786.pub23.HurkmansE,vanderGiesenFJ,VlietVlielandTP,SchoonesJ,VandenEndeEC. Dynamicexerciseprograms(aerobiccapacityand/ormusclestrengthtraining)inpatientswithrheumatoidarthritis. TheCochranedatabaseofsystematicreviews.2009;(4):CD00685310.1002/14651858.CD006853.pub2PubMedPMID:19821388.4.Cuesta-VargasAI,González-SánchezM,Casuso-HolgadoMJ.Effectonhealth-relatedqualityoflifeofamultimodalphysiotherapyprograminpatientswithchronicmusculoskeletaldisorders. HealthQualLifeOutcomes.2013;11:19.Published2013Feb16.doi:10.1186/1477-7525-11-195.HurleyM,DicksonK,HallettR,etal.Exerciseinterventionsandpatientbeliefsforpeoplewithhip,kneeorhipandkneeosteoarthritis:amixedmethodsreview. CochraneDatabaseSystRev.2018;4(4):CD010842.Published2018Apr17.doi:10.1002/14651858.CD010842.pub26.DaiZ,NiuJ,ZhangY,JacquesP,FelsonDT.DietaryintakeoffibreandriskofkneeosteoarthritisintwoUSprospectivecohorts.AnnRheumDis.2017;76(8):1411-1419.7.DaiZ,LuN,NiuJ,FelsonDT,ZhangY.DietaryFiberIntakeinRelationtoKneePainTrajectory.ArthritisCareRes(Hoboken).2017;69(9):1331-1339.8.RoundJL,MazmanianSK.Thegutmicrobiotashapesintestinalimmuneresponsesduringhealthanddisease.NatRevImmunol.2009;9(5):313-23.9.MaedaY,TakedaK.Host–microbiotainteractionsinrheumatoidarthritis. ExpMolMed.2019;51(12):150.Published2019Dec11.doi:10.1038/s12276-019-0283-610.KlingbergE,MagnussonMK,StridH,etal.Adistinctgutmicrobiotacompositioninpatientswithankylosingspondylitisisassociatedwithincreasedlevelsoffecalcalprotectin. ArthritisResTher.2019;21(1):248.Published2019Nov27.doi:10.1186/s13075-019-2018-411.AlgaflyAA,GeorgeKP.Theeffectofcryotherapyonnerveconductionvelocity,painthresholdandpaintolerance. BrJSportsMed.2007;41(6):365–369.doi:10.1136/bjsm.2006.03123712.MusichS,WangSS,SlindeeL,KraemerS,YehCS.AssociationofResilienceandSocialNetworkswithPainOutcomesAmongOlderAdults. PopulHealthManag.2019;22(6):511–521.doi:10.1089/pop.2018.019913.ManheimerE,ChengK,LindeK,etal.Acupunctureforperipheraljointosteoarthritis.CochraneDatabaseSystRev.2010;(1):CD001977.14.ManheimerE,ChengK,WielandLS,etal.Acupunctureforhiposteoarthritis. CochraneDatabaseSystRev.2018;5(5):CD013010.Published2018May5.doi:10.1002/14651858.CD01301015.JungA,ShinBC,LeeMS,SimH,ErnstE.Acupuncturefortreatingtemporomandibularjointdisorders:asystematicreviewandmeta-analysisofrandomized,sham-controlledtrials.JDent.2011;39(5):341-350.Volume:15Issue2:February23,2009.16.LatoucheR,Angulo-díaz-parreñoS,De-la-hozJL,etal.Effectivenessofacupunctureinthetreatmentoftemporomandibulardisordersofmuscularorigin:asystematicreviewofthelastdecade.JAlternComplementMed.2010;16(1):107-12.17.FuLM,LiJT,WuWS.Randomizedcontrolledtrialsofacupunctureforneckpain:systematicreviewandmeta-analysis.JAlternComplementMed.2009;15(2):133-45.18.JiM,WangX,ChenM,ShenY,ZhangX,YangJ.TheEfficacyofAcupuncturefortheTreatmentofSciatica:ASystematicReviewandMeta-Analysis.EvidBasedComplementAlternatMed.2015;2015:192808.19.NelsonNL,ChurillaJR. Massagetherapyforpainandfunctioninpatientswitharthritis:Asystematicreviewofrandomizedcontrolledtrials. AmJPhysMedRehabil 2017;96:665–672 advertisement Editor'sTopPicks AnAnti-InflammatoryDietforArthritis Video:ShouldIExerciseThroughJointPain? 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