Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is by far a painful endeavor to endure. Managing the pain and additional difficulties associated with RA take their toll on even the toughest of individuals. With everyone chiming in with remedies, especially ones you already know don’t work for you, it can make you extra cranky. Here we have curated a list of tips to help you deal with the pain, and we know that they work!

Adjust Your Home

Making your home a little easier to get around in is a huge help. One way to do this is to invest in a lift chair that can make sitting and lying down more comfortable, as well as lift you into a standing position, can be a life-changer.

Many people don’t want to “submit” to their illness and add these items in. These additions, they reason, make our struggles even more obvious to us and those around us. However, they are the things that will allow us to feel more freedom within the confines of RA.

Being able to get to the second floor on your own will make you feel better than relying on someone to help you. Being able to use the restroom or to shower on your own will make you feel more independent than asking someone to assist you. It’s a matter of perspective and looking for ways to ease your painful days is what matters most!

Taking Care of Your Skin

Our skin takes a beating from RA and it can make us a bit self-conscious. Nodules and vasculitis are the two major culprits that can wreck our hands and skin. To deal with the uncomfortable nature of nodules, you can opt for compression gloves to get through those days in which your hands just feel too stiff to function.

Studies show that there is a major improvement in hand usage when compression gloves are used. Considering how often you need to use your hands for everyday tasks, compression gloves become one of our favorite tools to use.

Eat Healthier

Medicines are often used for managing the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and yet one of the biggest helpers in the fight is our diet. Natural remedies are often encouraged in conjunction with modern medicine because they can offer a longer life with lower symptoms.

Changing your diet to one that is full of natural anti-inflammatories is the best step. The Mediterranean diet is often recommended since it’s rich in fish and vegetables, all of which are great at targeting inflammation. If you are suffering from any other illnesses, this diet will also assist in your battle against those illnesses.

Exercise Often

Exercising is a great addition to your repertoire in maintaining healthier joints. Not all exercises should be utilized, rather a focus on low-impact workouts with strength training and flexibility added for variety. If you want to utilize all three areas at one time, the swimming pool is your best friend!

Whether you opt to swim laps or do some kind of water aerobics, you will get a great workout with all three and it’s easy on the joints. Of course, if you are suffering from a flare up, you should be resting. Working out or any physical activity during a flare up will cause more damage to your joints than is necessary. Find that balance of activity and rest to ensure for more good days than hard ones.

Your doctor will prescribe any necessary medicines for the treatment of your RA, and by using these tips in conjunction with medication, you will feel better more often and slow the effects of rheumatoid arthritis.