How to Manage Arthritis Pain: Tips for Everyday Relief

Where does arthritis pain occur and what are its symptoms?

Arthritis pain is a symptom in itself. However, some other symptoms may appear along with this, such as:

• Not being able to move the affected joint normally
• Repeated pain or tenderness (pain on touching) in a joint
• Swelling in one or more joints
• The affected joint becomes red and the surrounding skin becomes hot

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What are the causes of arthritis pain?

There are mainly two types of arthritis, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Both these types of arthritis affect the joints of the body in different ways.

Osteoarthritis:
This is the most common type of arthritis, in which the cartilage of the joints gets damaged. Cartilage is a strong and flexible tissue found at the ends of the bone. Infection or any kind of injury in the joints is the main reason for damage to the cartilage. 

Rheumatoid Arthritis:
In this, the immune system of the body starts damaging the layer of the joints. This layer of the joints is called the joint capsule, it surrounds or covers all the parts of the joint from all sides. This disease eventually completely damages the cartilage or the bone inside the joint.

The following can be the reasons for the pain in arthritis:

• Inflammation in the joints:

In this, your joints become hot and swollen.

• Joint damage:

Any kind of damage to the joints can also cause arthritis pain.

• Muscle strain:

This condition occurs when the joints are prevented from bending in a painful position.

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How to prevent arthritis pain?
There is no sure way to prevent arthritis. But some measures can help prevent it or reduce its risk. Some precautions reduce the chances that cause arthritis pain, such as:

• Do not keep the body in such a position that increases stress or pressure on your joints.
• Use the weak joints and muscles of your body less and use the strong ones more.
• Use a cane or walker as per your convenience and also change the latch of your door.
• Use assistive devices to do tasks like opening jars, putting on and taking off socks, etc.
• Use braces for the joints of the body which are more weak.
• Hold the handle in the bathroom.

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How is arthritis pain treated?

Medicines:
Doctors give appropriate medicines based on the severity of your condition and how long you have been suffering from arthritis pain. Medicines given for arthritis pain can often include the following:

NSAIDs:
These medicines are also called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. These medicines work to reduce pain, swelling and redness etc. These medicines include ibuprofen and naproxen etc. Some powerful non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are available on prescription by the doctor. 

Steroids:
Some corticosteroid medicines such as prednisone, these medicines reduce swelling, redness and pain. Doctors usually give corticosteroid medicines to reduce acute symptoms and then gradually reduce its dose and stop it.

DMARDs:
These medicines are also called disease modifying antirheumatic medicines. These medicines reduce the continuously increasing rheumatoid arthritis and prevent permanent damage to joints and tissues. 

Fish oil:
Fish oil can also be used to relieve pain and stiffness caused by rheumatoid arthritis.

To get relief from arthritis pain, keep these following things in mind:
Take medicines wisely:
There are many medicines that help control or reduce arthritis pain. You can take help from your doctor to understand which medicines are best for you and what is the best way to use them.

Exercise:
Regular proper physical activity reduces pain. Apart from this, it keeps your joints moving, strengthens the muscles to provide support to the joints, reduces stress and gives good sleep. Doctor or physiotherapist can tell you the right exercise according to your health and body. 

Cold and hot compresses:
If the treatment is done carefully and properly, it is safe and soothing. Hot compresses relax your muscles and stimulate blood circulation. To apply hot compresses, you can take a hot bath or keep a hot water bottle or heating pad on your affected area for 15 minutes.

Cold compresses numb the painful area and also reduce swelling. Apply cold compresses to the affected area for 15 minutes. Cold compresses are usually better for joints that are swollen and the skin has become hot. After applying cold or hot compresses, let your skin temperature return to normal before applying compresses again. If this does not happen, the skin tissue may get damaged. You can talk to a doctor to find out whether hot compresses are right for you or cold.

Take care of your joints and save your energy:
Take special care of your joints while doing normal daily tasks. By doing this, problems like pain, tension and tenderness in your joints can be reduced. For this, some simple habits can be adopted like, not doing any activity which causes pain, taking help from someone else when needed and using special equipment to make your work easier. 

Acupuncture:
This is a very old process from China. During this process, thin needles are inserted in a particular part of the patient's skin, due to which the brain stops receiving pain signals and pain is not felt. 

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS):
This process is also called TENS. In this, a machine is installed, which releases very mild electrical vibrations, due to which the pain signal is not able to reach the brain. TENS can be very helpful for chronic pain, but it doesn't work for everyone.

Brain technique:
In this process, a psychologist or a trained doctor teaches you techniques to stay calm and deal with pain, which helps you control your symptoms. It includes some techniques, such as:

Relaxation:
This is a process that relaxes the joints and muscles. In this, deep breathing, guided imagery and progressive muscle relaxation etc. help in reducing muscle tension and stress. All these techniques require practice and you may have to adopt many methods to find the right method for you.

Yoga:
Doing yoga also relaxes the muscles and joints of the body.

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What problems are caused by arthritis pain?

The pain caused by arthritis is very disturbing and makes the patient very weak and frail. In arthritis pain, the patient also starts having problems of anxiety and depression.
Other long-term problems caused by arthritis pain are:

Sleep disruption:
If you are having any kind of pain or tenderness in your joint at night, then due to that you wake up again and again. Not getting enough sleep at night can also intensify your arthritis pain.

Weight gain:
Due to pain or stiffness in the joints, your desire to remain active continuously decreases. When you stop participating in any physical activity, which gives you happiness. Due to not participating in activities, you become less mobile and your weight starts increasing. 

Unable to do daily work:
Due to arthritis pain, you also become unable to do your daily work. 

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Regular light exercise and yoga are beneficial to reduce arthritis pain, as it keeps the joints flexible. Light massage, hot water fomentation, and massage with warm oil also provide pain relief. Consuming anti-inflammatory foods such as turmeric, ginger, and fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids reduces inflammation. Keeping weight under control and taking a balanced diet is helpful in controlling the symptoms of arthritis. If the pain increases, take medicines after consulting a doctor.