Experts reveal 6 natural remedies for arthritis

Navigating life with arthritis can have its up and downs. Like many chronic pain conditions, you will have good days and bad days. The goal is not to wait for a cure. Instead, it is to live well despite the pain.

There are medications and supplements to help with arthritis. However, you can also use natural remedies and lifestyle choices. These can support your plan to manage arthritis pain.

Experts at Arthritis Australia have outlined a number of ways you can seek natural relief — have a read below on what you can easily do to improve your pain.

Explore an anti-inflammatory diet

Studies have shown that one’s eating habits can actually influence the severity of pain experienced from arthritis. Some foods can aggravate inflammation, which is what causes the pain in joints. However, specific diets have evidenced a significant reduction in pain and these diets could be a stepping stone towards a better life.

Plant-based diets have evidenced great improvements to living with arthritis. Additionally, Mediterranean, vegan, vegetarian and keto diets have also demonstrated positive outcomes.

Exercise and stay active

Many experts will tell you that maintaining your health requires vital exercise. In the case of coping with arthritis, this is no different.

Staying active is paramount to ensuring your body remains strong and capable of functioning at optimum capacity. Strength training and moderate-intensity aerobic exercises in appropriate regimes can help strengthen the joints and maintain the body. The last thing you want is to let your pain stand in the way of staying fit and mobile!

It is a good idea to talk to your doctor or physical therapist. They can help you create a workout plan that fits your needs and lifestyle. This way, you will get the most from the exercise you do. At the same time, you will find pain relief.

Maintain good posture

It’s easier said than done, but good posture does wonders to reduce bodily pain in general and can alleviate the load on your joints, thereby improving pain experienced from arthritis. Always pay attention to how you position your body, especially at your desk and on your couch.

Sometimes, this can be tough to manage if you’ve had a pre-existing injury that has created a vulnerability in the way you carry yourself. Seeking help and advice from a physician or physical therapist can help improve posture and prevent future issues.

Experiment with heat and cold therapy

A tried-and-true method for pain relief, many of us are likely already familiar with the classic heat pack or ice pack. Heat and cold therapy can also have widespread applications for pain relief in arthritis.

Heat therapy helps blood flow and relaxes your muscles. This can reduce pain and speed up how our body detoxifies itself. Meanwhile, a well-placed ice pack can directly reduce swelling caused by inflammation and provide relief to pain.

A good idea involves switching between heat and cold every 10 minutes during a pain flare-up. This method may help you get the most benefits from both types of therapy. As always, speaking to your doctor is a good course of action and may yield even more approaches to pain relief.

Treat yourself to a massage

A massage can work wonders for your muscles. It can be for a specific area or a full-body session. By rubbing out those knots and providing much-needed relief to a body that may be tensed by pain and stress, a massage can offer sustained relief from arthritis pain that many other natural remedies cannot.

Consider therapy for mental health

At the end of the day, living with a chronic condition like arthritis is difficult. Even for the best of us, it can sometimes dampen the spirits. Talk therapy is a great way to express frustrations. Catharsis helps deal with ongoing pain and stress.

Therapy can also uncover ways to bolster your mental fortitude and help you cope with the pain. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can give you ways to cope and relax. General therapy can help you create a support network for daily life. On some days, the best medicine can simply be a helpful hand or a listening ear.

IMPORTANT LEGAL INFO This article is of a general nature and FYI only, because it doesn’t take into account your personal health requirements or existing medical conditions. That means it’s not personalised health advice and shouldn’t be relied upon as if it is. Before making a health-related decision, you should work out if the info is appropriate for your situation and get professional medical advice.