 Quick Tips to Cope with Arthritis
Little Things to Soothe the Pain
Here are some no-fuss strategies to help you deal with the pain of arthritis:
- • Begin the day with a relaxing warm shower or bath.
• Stretch gently; Tai Chi may be an option to help you limber up.
• Try icing the sore joint with an ice pack or bag or frozen vegetables.
• Try to keep your weight down. Even a modest weight loss of 10 lbs. can make your knees feel better.
• Exercise without stressing your joints. Moving is helpful. A daily walk can be your best medicine.
• Rest! Sometimes you’ve overworked a joint and just giving your knees or hands a break will help you bounce back.
Be Your Arthritic Pet’s Best Friend
Your canine best friend shares more than a bond of love with you. Your dog may also suffer arthritis, which affects in five pooches over the age of seven (that’s 49 in people years). Here are some steps you can take to make your pet feel better:
- • An overweight pet’s joints receive stress. Ask your vet for diet advice and take a walk with your dog. You’ll both get exercise.
• Ask your vet about glucosamine, which can be helpful for pain relief.
• Small dogs can benefit from a warm soak in the tub just as their owners do. A larger dog will enjoy swimming in pet-friendly areas.
• Try an outing at a pet-designated area where your dog can run free. A pet in a happy mood will deal with little aches and pains in as positive a manner as their human owners who enjoy family and social activities.
Red Hot Chili Peppers for Arthritis
Red hot chili peppers—the spicy food, not the band—can help you cope with the pain of arthritis. Capsaicin, the active component of chili peppers, has been proven to relieve the pain of arthritis, even though it causes irritation in sensitive tissues such as the eyes and mouth. On joints, it will produce a warm sting that will soothe the pain.
Products with capsaicin are available over the counter in creams or gels to rub on the aching joints. Always use these products with care and keep them out of the reach of children. In one study, 80 percent of arthritis patients saw an improvement in joint pain after using capsaicin products for two weeks. Never use the products on broken or irritated skin, or if you’ve had allergic reactions to red hot chili peppers—the food, not the band.
Exercise Your Way to Arthritis Relief
It’s a classic Catch-22: People with arthritis don’t want to exercise because their joints hurt, but their aching joints would feel better if they exercised.
Motion is lotion for aching joints, it’s true. Three types of exercise benefit patients with arthritis the most: stretching/range of motion, strength and aerobics. Combine all three and you’ll improve your ability to deal with the stiffness and pain of arthritis. Try these options:
- • Stretch gently every day—in a pool, in a Tai Chi class or doing yoga.
- • Do some repetitions with light weights to build stronger muscles. Begin with small cans of soup or vegetables and work up to heavier weights. Juice and milk containers are great inexpensive weights.
• Exercise your heart, lungs and muscles with a half-hour walk. Begin with a five-minute stroll around the block—slowly and gently if you haven’t exercised in a while—and add time and distance as you’re more fit. Swimming is also an excellent low-impact aerobic exercise.
Arthritis in African-Americans
There are more than 100 forms of arthritis, from the common “wear and tear” form we get as we age, to rarer types, such as arthritic psoriasis. In African-Americans, the risk for two forms of arthritis—gout and lupus—are higher than in other population groups.
Gout is a painful form of arthritis known for intense pain in the big toe. About 2 million Americans suffer from it, but African-American men are at higher risk, perhaps because it’s related to their higher risk for high blood pressure. Medications and changes in diet can offer relief.
African-American women have a higher risk for lupus than their white counterparts. This autoimmune disorder is hard to diagnose, but symptoms may include a rash on the face or upper body, sensitivity to the sun and arthritis aches. Rest, medications and dietary changes can help patients cope.
Celebs with Arthritis
The lifestyles of the rich and famous are no protection from the aches and pains of arthritis. Just ask the celebrities who have been open about their arthritic conditions”
- • Tough-guy James Coburn and actress Kathleen Turner became spokespeople for rheumatoid arthritis because they suffer from it.
• Olympic marathoner Frank Shorter, Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton and Olympic skater Dorothy Hamill have osteoarthritis, but continue to exercise.
• Painter Jean Renoir continued to create masterpieces with severe arthritis and Lucille Ball made us laugh on television despite her bouts with rheumatoid arthritis.
• Actresses Melanie Griffith and Bo Derek and dancers Paula Abdul and Debbie Allen have osteoarthritis, as do basketball greats Shaquille O’Neal and Earl “The Pearl” Monroe.
• Comedian and humanitarian Jerry Lewis and the late actor Ricardo Montalban had long movie careers despite constant arthritic pain.
Arthritis and Women
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of the more than 100 diseases qualified as “arthritis,” and more than 60 percent of its sufferers are women. Whether women are more likely to develop it or whether they live longer and suffer longer is open to debate.
Other forms of arthritis are also more common in women than in men. Fibromyalgia, which brings aches and fatigue, and rheumatoid arthritis that causes severe swelling are more common in women. About 90 percent of patients with lupus, an inflammatory disease, are women, and 80 percent of those with osteoporosis, the brittle bones of old age, are women.
Women are more apt to care for their families than for themselves, but knowing that they are at higher risk for these forms of arthritis should encourage them to discuss aches and pains with their doctors. Taking care of Mom will help take care of the whole family.
The Arthritis Research Institute of America, a 501[c](3) not-for-profit, has been researching arthritis for more than 20 years. For more tips on living with arthritisor call 727.461-4054 for a free brochure.
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