Last Updated on March 12, 2024 by admin
Life with rheumatoid arthritis can be daunting. It’s not easy living with pain and as you know, rheumatoid arthritis is all about joint pain and edema.
Not to mention, edema makes the pain worse as it causes sore muscles and affects mobility. Now the question is, what can you do about it? Do you think popping out painkillers is the solution? Well, it isn’t.
The reason being, allopathic painkillers bring along their own side effects. Thus, alternative medicine and natural remedies are recommended to everyone having rheumatoid arthritis. The following are a few tips and tricks that are 100% effective in easing joint pain:
Table of Contents
Regular Exercise
First and foremost, you need to get moving. Although it’s correct that rheumatoid arthritis can make you lazy and slow, a lazy lifestyle can negatively contribute to the joint pain you experience.
Therefore, you need to increase physical activity by adding exercise to your daily routine. Regular exercise will increase the number of endorphins in your bloodstream, which will naturally alleviate pain and boost energy.
Body Massage
Ranking second is body massage. Massage therapies can release oxytocin in your body. Oxytocin is a hormone that can eliminate pain and uplift your mood. Not to mention, body massage is the most effortless way to go about it.
All you need to do is take a body massage once or twice a week for a few minutes and you’ll be good to go. For that, you can either visit a spa or call a masseuse and enjoy a massage session at home.
Herbs and Plants
Certain herbs and plants are naturally loaded with healing and pain-relieving properties. It is mainly the reason many experts recommend alternative medicine when treating rheumatoid arthritis pain.
Ashwagandha, valerian root, milk thistle, passionflower, and lizard king mushrooms are a few examples of herbs and plants that are popularly known for their pain management quality. You just need to give them a try and you’ll know.
Hot and Cold Therapy
Speaking of naturally managing joint pain, hot and cold therapy has remained on top throughout the years. Hot and cold therapy, when done in combination, can hit various birds with one stone.
Here’s what you need to do: use a heating pad for 5-10 minutes followed by a cold pack for 10-15 minutes. Heat therapy will increase blood circulation while providing the required nutrients to the affected joint.
On the other hand, cold therapy will eliminate swelling and suppress the pain for a few hours. It may not be a permanent solution, but it definitely works well for recurring joint aches.
Meditation
Last but not least, you should try meditation and add it to your everyday routine. While meditation may not help relieve joint pain, it will alter your perception of pain. Hence, it’s quite helpful.
Also, meditation will help counter the stress and anxiety that rheumatoid arthritis brings along. It will relax you physically and mentally at the same time, providing you with the comfort you need in your day-to-day life. In case none of the above-mentioned works, you can consult a physician and get yourself checked for additional issues. After all, it’s wise to stay on the safer side.
