Here’s a disease that’s so common that nearly one in seven Americans already has it—and a new case is diagnosed every 33 seconds. In fact, arthritis is the most widespread chronic disease in people over the age of 45, even when you consider the untold millions who never see a doctor about that blasted pain in their joints.
When you do see a doctor about that blasted pain, he will usually tell you what kind of arthritis you have. Although there are more than 100 different types, most fall into two broad categories.
Inflammatory arthritis (or rheumatoid arthritis) is the best treated with anti-inflammatory drugs, through diet and lifestyle changes may help. Non-inflammatory arthritis (or osteoarthritis) results when cartilage in joints deteriorates from injury or excessive use. Weight control, proper exercise and pain relievers are the key treatments here.
Eat your Vegetables. Researchers at the University of Oslo in Norway discovered that people with rheumatoid arthritis who began a vegetarian diet saw dramatic improvements in their conditions within one month after cutting out meat, eggs, dairy products, sugar and foods with gluten, such as wheat bread. A vegetarian diet is good, because the goal for arthritis sufferers is to cut as much saturated fat from their diets as possible and replace it with more polyunsaturated fat.
Try something fishy. One of the best sources of polyunsaturated fat is cold water fish such as salmon, sardines and herring. They are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to have some minor beneficial effect on reducing the inflammatory aspects of arthritis.
Get hot on hot pepper cream. Research shows you can ease the pain by rubbing the joint with an over-the-counter ointment called Zostrix, made from capsaicin—the stuff that puts the hot in hot peppers. You u need to apply it three or four times a day on the affected area for at least two weeks b before you’ll see any improvement. An initial burning sensation at the site is not unusual for the first few days, but this goes away with continued application. Washing your hands immediately after application is advised.
Use a Dehumidifier. If the Humidity is kept constant in your house, it can help calm arthritis pain caused by weather changes. When rain is on the way, the sudden increase in humidity and decrease in air pressure can affect blood flow to arthritic joints, which become increasingly stiff until the storm actually starts. If you close the windows and turn on the dehumidifier—or run the air conditioning in the summer—you may be able to eliminate this short-term but significant pain.
Remedies for your specific aches
From head to toe, there are specific arthritis treatments for specific body parts:
Give your neck a break. Don’t extend your neck by looking up for long periods. If you’re painting, hanging curtains or doing other work that requires you to look up for a long time, get a ladder and bring yourself to the same level as you work.
Support your shoulders. Don’t sleep with your arms over your head, because that strains your shoulders. Advice for women, lighten your handbags so that they carry only what they need. And big-busted women are advised to get bras with more support to ease shoulder strain.
Glove your hands. Wear gloves with thick palm padding—like work gloves—whatever you’re holding something tightly. With thick gloves you don’t have to exert as much force on the hand joints to hold a heavy skillet, a broom or a wrench. Also, you can build up handles of tools and garden supplies with foam rubber padding or terry cloth, so you’re exerting less force on the joints.
Never squat or kneel. That the worst thing you can do to arthritic knee or hip joints.
Wear running or walking shoes whenever possible. To ease the pressure on aching feet, you want footwear that provides comfort and support. When shopping for dressier footwear, look for shoes that have a wide toe or box and good, built-in arch support. The best shoes have heels approximately 1 to 1 1/2 inches high, and they come up high on the instep. For men, lace up oxford, as opposed to slip-on, is the preferable dress shoe.
Stay active. Probably the most important thing you can do for osteoarthritis is exercise as much as you’re able to. You’ll find that the better your physical condition, the less arthritis pain you will have. Recommendation: low-impact aerobic exercises and, if tolerated, very light weight lifting with one- to two-pound dumbbells. Build up the tissue around your joints. They key is to do it regularly, no less than three times a week preferably. Daily exercise is better if possible.
Learn your food “triggers.” Some people find that their rheumatoid arthritis seem to flare up after eating certain foods—especially alcohol, milk, tomatoes, and certain nuts. Although there is really no telling what your trigger might be, if you notice that your condition worsens after eating a certain food, then listen to your body and avoid that food. The same goes for foods that improve arthritis, such as fish and fiber; try to eat them more regularly.
Take time to smell the roses. When you’re tensed up, you hurt more. Many people use relaxation as an effective way of diminishing arthritis pain. It does not matter what you really do; biofeedback, meditation, even listening to music—whatever helps you relax. The point is to practice a regular relaxation periods and then also to use relaxation when pain is particularly severe.
Slim down. Being overweight can enhance damage to joint by putting excess pressure on them. In fact, being overweight increases your chances of developing osteoarthritis, even if you don’t have it now.
Try slow dancing. Dancing is a good way to combine weight loss, exercise and stress reduction. Many of my patients participate in easy dance routines created as part of an overall education and activity program that show them how to exercise while protecting their affected joints. Easy dancing is perfect for those with inflammatory arthritis, or osteoarthritis because it is low impact.
Reach for the “right” pain reliever. Not all pain relievers are the same—at least for those with arthritis. People with inflammatory arthritis should get more relief from aspirin or ibuprofen (Advil) but may get more stomach irritation with these. Over-the-counter pain relief without stomach irritation, the recommendation is Tylenol. Recommended doses of these drugs should not be exceeded, nor regular dosing continued, for more than three weeks without consulting your physician.
Immobilize the pain. Splints, sling, cervical collars and other protective devices are extremely useful when an area is particularly painful or inflamed. Even though these devices help reduce pain, your muscles can rely on them and weaken very much.
Use ice and heat judiciously. Although both ice packs and heat packs can provide some relief, don’t use either for more than ten minutes at a time. Usually ice is used to prevent swelling but may also douse pain; heat in small doses may promote muscle reactions and sooth pain.
Source: Paul Caldron, D.O., Clinical rheumatologist and researcher at the Arthritis Center in Phoenix, Esther Lipstein-Kresch, M.D., an assistant professor of medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University in New York City. Joseph Hollander, M.D. and professor emeritus of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia,
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