Arthritis pain can prove to be a real problem, especially when not handled in the right way. In most cases, doctors will give you anti-inflammatory medications to manage your condition (source).
However, there are self-management activities and strategies that you can engage in to put the level of joint pain and inflammation in check.
These practices, when incorporated with the right doctor’s medication, will help to relieve the joint pain and reduce the symptoms.
Here are some practical approaches that can help you manage your arthritis pain:
1. CBD oil
CBD, the short form of Cannabidiol is an active compound of Cannabis plant that is extracted from the hemp, thereby containing THC levels of up to 0.03% only. CBD oil is recognized for medicinal purposes and does not produce the feeling of being “high”. CBD can be used in many forms.
It can be ingested orally as capsules, food, or liquid that are directly absorbed into the digestive tract. It can also be applied to the skin as a cream or even inhaled as a vapor, whichever seems effective and favorable for you.
Scientists and doctors have since valued CBD oil as a form of pain management, especially for arthritis[1].
There are two cannabinoid receptors in the body, which include CB1 and CB2.
CBD affects the CB2 to lure the body into producing much more cannabinoid, which relieves body pain and inflammatory actions on the joints.
2. Exercise for flexibility
When exercising, you don’t have to go for heavy-impact activities such as weightlifting. Instead, you should engage in light exercises such as regular swimming and bicycle riding. That way, you’ll reduce stress on joints and enhance flexibility.
3. Weight loss
Weight loss will reduce the weight impact that your flesh creates on the joints.
The larger the impact, the more the pain and inflammation. Moreover, when you reduce your weight, you’ll improve on mobility, which puts the joints into use, reducing their damage rate.
4. Meditation
Meditation has been used for centuries to help the mind wander away from pain. When you have a peaceful meditation, your mind tends to resonate with nature and tranquility that you completely forget about any form of pain or headache.
Regular meditation should be in a position to relieve you from stress, which is a significant cause of joint inflammation. Moreover, when you get it correctly, then it can be a routine management practice. Your body will soon adapt, and you will, for sure, have the pain under control.
5. Hot and cold therapy
Hot and cold treatments aren’t new to managing pain, inflammation, and even bruises. For instance, swelling from a mild bruise can be put on check with ice-cold therapy.
Similarly, a painful joint can be put on check with hot water steaming and massages. You can take long hot showers in the morning to start your day free of joint pains and inflammation.
Later on, in the evening, you can take a bag of frozen ice and gently massage around the painful joints. When this practice is done regularly, the results should be evident in a month or so.
6 . Massage
Finally, you would want to consider massage as a perfect getaway for managing arthritis pain. Though massage is widely known for relaxation purposes, it has since proven to be effective and has worked in many scenarios.
For instance, massage helps in improving blood circulation around the affected parts, which in turn reduces stiffness and joint inflammation. However, if the pains are quite severe, then you should avoid getting massage around the affected areas.