Osteoarthritis is a devastating condition to have in life. It can inflame any joint, hindering your ability to act, move, or do anything. And it’s especially prone to knee, hip, lower back, neck, big toe, and finger joints. If any of your joints, in particular, have the condition, you can likely relate to how painful it must be to have even one of these joints become swollen and stiff.
You’re not alone in this situation, either. At least 27 million Americans deal with osteoarthritis. But not all do so successfully.
If you’re one of those who struggle to manage osteoarthritis, consider these three tips.
You’re not alone in this situation, either. At least 27 million Americans deal with osteoarthritis. But not all do so successfully.
If you’re one of those who struggle to manage osteoarthritis, consider these three tips.
1. Exercise Regularly
While you may worry about hurting your joints and adding more pain to your osteoarthritis with physical activity, exercising is an effective arthritis treatment. After all, regular physical activity encourages your body to lubricate your joints’ cartilage and reduces stiffness and pain.
So, start planning on what you want your fitness routine to look like! But be careful of what activities you pick. Only some things are going to be helpful to your condition.
For osteoarthritis-friendly exercises, consider the following:
So, start planning on what you want your fitness routine to look like! But be careful of what activities you pick. Only some things are going to be helpful to your condition.
For osteoarthritis-friendly exercises, consider the following:
- Range-of-motion exercises include gentle stretches and movements that use your joints’ entire capacity. They’ll help you maintain and possibly improve your joint flexibility. You can practice these stretches by doing yoga.
- Aerobic exercises - Doing aerobic exercises can involve walking, jogging, or dancing. These will strengthen your heart and improve your lungs to have more stamina throughout the day.
- Strengthening exercises - You can practice strengthening exercises by using a resistance band. Eventually, these exercises will help maintain and improve your muscle strength.
2. Take Medication
In addition to your exercise routine, you can relieve osteoarthritis pain through medication like meloxicam. To determine which medication works best for you, talk to your doctor. Let them know about your medical history and any allergies you might have. With that information, your doctor can suggest medication that will benefit you most.
Medication can be an expensive suggestion, but you can still get your medication at an affordable rate. Just order your prescription medication from a pharmacy referral service like Rx Connected. This service allows you to buy medications from licensed pharmacies outside of the United States, where prescription prices are typically lower.
Medication can be an expensive suggestion, but you can still get your medication at an affordable rate. Just order your prescription medication from a pharmacy referral service like Rx Connected. This service allows you to buy medications from licensed pharmacies outside of the United States, where prescription prices are typically lower.
3. Consider Joint Surgery
The last type of treatment you should consider is joint surgery. Like any major medical procedure, joint surgery is a severe undertaking and could be expensive. So only consider it if you haven’t seen any improvement from other treatments like exercise and medication.If you can’t find any pain relief, go back to your doctor and tell them about your interest in joint surgery. They should let you know whether it’s a treatment you should consider. And if it is, they’ll go on to help you prepare for your upcoming surgery for osteoarthritis relief.
In short, osteoarthritis can certainly feel like an obstacle that’s impossible to overcome. But it doesn’t have to be. Just keep in mind these three tips.
