Arthritis is a chronic condition in that there’s no way of curing it. Once you’re first diagnosed all you can do is treat the symptoms and lessen the effect the condition has on your life. There are all sorts of potent drugs which are on offer to arthritic patients and because of this medication the very worst symptoms of arthritis are generally not felt by sufferers. In the past arthritis would cause things like total loss of mobility and deformity but now sufferers are likely to suffer some mobility loss but very rarely deformity. Due to the chronic nature of arthritis there are a lot of alternative treatments for the condition which are much less invasive than the hardcore medication but have been shown to have a potent effect in some cases.
Alkaline Diet – Avoid things like meat, alcohol and smoking and you’ll help to reduce the acid build up in your body. With less acid to provoke it, the pain which arthritis is known for should be less pronounced as inflammation should lessen considerably. You may find that with something as simply as a dietary change you could even get some mobility back!
Omega 3 – Found in fish most commonly, you can take supplements to make up your omega 3 intake if you’re not a fan of fish! This group of fats are incredibly important for good joint health and can help to maintain mobility and functionality even in the throes of arthritis.
Hydration – Dehydrated bodies feel more pain. Remember to drink lots of water and avoid caffeine where you can as this will actually dehydrate you. If you’re not a fan of water then try to dilute any fruit juices a little before you drink them to keep your hydration levels nice and high!
Exercise – It might hurt at first but exercise has been shown to actually reduce pain in arthritic patients if they stick to it. It doesn’t matter what exercise you choose, just make sure you keep going with it and don’t overdo it. You’ll cause yourself more harm than good if you do too much exercise.
