Arthritis pain is invisible to the outside world and can feel daunting when on the inside. Often times the person with arthritis feels alone, isolated, and distressed by the pain. There are ways to help manage arthritis pain so that life is more enjoyable. Create new life habits that favor your body in ways that decrease your arthritis. Here are 5 tips to manage your arthritis pain.
Pain Management Techniques
Find ways that work for you to manage pain. Consider all your avenues available and see what combinations and to what degrees work best for you. Equally important things to consider with your doctor may be:
- Strength training
- Medication
- Stretching
- Changing eating habits
- Adding supplements
- Meditation
Find Ways to Improve Sleep Quality
Pain and sleep are interdependent. Arthritis pain makes it difficult to sleep, and lack of sleep increases pain. Furthermore, finding techniques that work best for you to maintain a healthy sleep regiment is key, medication may be an option after discussion with your healthcare provider. Here are some tips to work with your doctor:
1. Have a regular sleep schedule
2. Exercise regularly
3. Monitor caffeine and alcohol intake to your favor
4. Avoid screens a couple hours before bed
5. Stress Management
Understanding how your body reacts is a good way of understanding your needs. Finding ways to break your cycles can be key. In addition, here are a few more tips on sleeping with chronic pain that may work for you.
Exercise to Lessen Pain
Moving is not only good for your mental health but physically it works so much to your benefit! Exercising regularly helps maintain a healthy weight, aiding in arthritis pain management. In fact, moving and stretching helps with the fluids in your body to move keeping your joints healthier.
Eat a Balanced Diet
We all know food is fuel, and good fuel means good results for our well being. Consciously eating allows you to know how different foods affect your body. Treating yourself should remind just that, a treat. Lastly, ask yourself what feels best and even take the time to document it so that objective observation and conclusions can be made from your experiences. Find some more tips in taking care of yourself here.
Be Consistent
Routines make it easier to maintain a healthy habit and lifestyle. When we are consistent, we no longer need to question our plans, our choices, or our decisions because we have done it once, knowing what we have to do, and we repeat what is good for us. The energy otherwise needed to remake the decisions daily becomes the energy used to maintain and withhold our good habits! Consistency means your autopilot is what’s best for you and your health.
It is never easy to be forced to change your lifestyle. There is no better reason than to make good habits than your own health and quality of life. Becoming more conscious of how your life choices make you feel can be the key to understanding how you can manage your arthritis. Be your own advocate and learn what is best for you.