Treatment Of Osteoarthritis: Simple Habits That Help

Treatment of osteoarthritis can be done without resorting to expensive surgeries. Although there is no cure for osteoarthritis, adopting healthy habits can help control your symptoms. Discover some of them in this article!

Osteoarthritis is a chronic disease that compromises the condition of the joints. It often affects people over the age of 60, but it can occur in adults of all ages. Although it does not have a cure, some simple habits can prevent its progress.

How should osteoarthritis be treated?

Fortunately, significant progress has been made in the treatment of this disease. Thus, in addition to drugs such as painkillers, specialists have other recommendations for dealing with its symptoms.

Discover some of them here!

Habits that help treat osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis develops due to progressive joint injuries. This deterioration can occur over time, whether due to aging or previous injury. It causes symptoms such as pain, stiffness and reduced range of motion.

Although the severity may vary from patient to patient, it generally affects the quality of life. Treatment of osteoarthritis therefore aims to reduce disease progression and manage symptoms.

Treatment of osteoarthritis can be done with physical exercise

Exercise promotes physical well-being in general, especially of the joints, which improves mobility.

The pain caused by osteoarthritis often reduces the ability to perform certain exercises. However, it is not recommended to lead a sedentary lifestyle. Uniform exercises with low risk of stroke strengthen the muscles around the joints to prevent the complications of the disease.

Approx. 20 to 30 minutes of daily physical activity, among other things, helps relieve stiffness and reduces the risk of pain crises. You should do activities like walking, swimming or stretching. You can also try yoga or tai chi.

2. Weight loss can relieve joint pain

Being overweight can accelerate the deterioration of the joints in patients with osteoarthritis. In fact, it is considered a possible trigger of the disease. Because of this, those who are overweight should strive to lose weight.

A healthy weight puts less pressure on the joints and thus helps keep pain at bay. It also reduces the risk of other health complications such as cardiovascular disease or metabolic syndrome.

Getting a good night’s sleep is a good habit for treating osteoarthritis

Sleep problems can end in worsening disorders and lower quality of life.

Sometimes the pain that osteoarthritis causes can affect the quality of sleep. Despite this , it is important to try to get a good night’s sleep every night, as rest is the key to reducing swelling of joints.

If you have trouble sleeping, try the following:

• Make sure your bedroom is a comfortable place to sleep.
• Avoid working in your bedroom.
• Stay away from distracting items like computers, cell phones or tablets before bedtime.
• Eat food that promotes sleep.
• Eat healthy, low-calorie dinners.
• Drink relaxing teas, such as passion flower or Valerian tea.

4. Drink natural tea

Tea cannot replace the pharmacological treatment prescribed by your doctor. However, drinking tea can help treat osteoarthritis.

Some types of tea that are recommended because of their anti-inflammatory properties are ginger, green tea and turmeric.

5. Hot and cold therapy

This therapy is an effective way to control the inflammatory process of the joint.

Heat helps to open blood vessels and thus improve blood circulation. As a result, the transport of nutrients to the affected tissues is also improved. Heat also produces a calming effect, which reduces stiffness.

On the other hand , the application of ice closes blood vessels and reduces swelling and pain. For this reason, it is a good option to supplement the effects of heat.

• Apply heat with warm water or a heating pad. You can also moisten a towel with warm water (be careful not to burn yourself).
• Then apply it on the affected area for 20 minutes and rest.

• If you prefer cold therapy, wrap several ice cubes in a cloth or bag and apply for 20 minutes.

Warning : Avoid applying ice directly to the skin as it may be harmful. Be sure to wrap it in a towel. In addition, make sure the temperature is tolerable when applying heat.

Finally

Osteoarthritis is a chronic condition that can worsen without timely treatment.

For this reason , it is important to treat the symptoms and go to a doctor if you suspect that you are suffering from the disease. The combination of medication and good habits can give good results.