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eLearning Series: Arthritis
I Want Arthritis Relief Now!
Arthritis
Prevention & Remedies
Dietary & Exercise Planning – Consult
your healthcare provider for guidelines, recipes and menus
to help establish a tailor-made diet and exercise plan. If
there are other family members with you, make sure to include them in your
plans so that there is less stress regarding food decision-making at mealtime.
Ask about any vitamins and other supplementary items as well.
Activity
– Plan
regular physical activity on a daily basis. This is for the
rest of your life, too, not just to lose 10 lbs, then stop. So plan accordingly,
keeping in mind your monthly budget, seasonal weather changes, any equipment
and attire needs, etc. Planning ahead avoids the stress of the unexpected;
for example, on rainy days when you can’t go jogging or walking. Instead,
with advanced preparation, you can simply pop in an exercise video or cassette,
borrowed from the public library for that month. Keep a journal and note
your
progress and see which type activities you like best, which make you feel
better and which help you with your overall health plans that may include
weight loss
or maintenance, and just getting out for some fresh air and sunshine.
Heat
/ Cold – Alternate with hot and cold packs to
help with any pain and stiffness that tries to pop up.
(When alternating,
allow body temperature
to return to
normal before switching pack treatments.) And nice hot showers or baths
in the morning go a long way in helping loosen up those morning muscles
and
joints.
Pain Relievers
- Check with your healthcare provider for any over-the-counter
and prescription pain relief medications and ointments
that may be available to you. Then have supplies on
hand. Search online for discounted rates,
coupons and specials. Better an ounce of prevention than… running to
the store while
suffering painful joint problems on a cold, snowy morning for some
Tylenol.
Ultrasounds
– Check into the possibility of having an ultrasound
via your healthcare provider or a physical
therapist. An ultrasound is
a recommended
method of
helping with pain reduction in an easy, painless manner. Sound waves
are sent or generated into the area joint region in pain.
TENS Treatment
- Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation
or TENS for short, is another pain-free alternative to
pain relief.
In a
nutshell, light electrical
pulses travel via a tiny TENS unit or device, resulting in a vibrating
or tapping sensation, to nerves in the painful joint area. Ask
your
healthcare provider
for more information.
Fashion
– Forget
about focusing on fashion and leaving safety behind. Instead
opt for comfortable
shoes like a tennis shoe that offers
good support.
Focus on comfort; so that you can move your toes around a little;
rubber soles
to help from slips and falls; and low heels to prevent undue
stress on knees.
Journal
– Keep
a journal. Don’t be afraid of misspelling words or lousy
handwriting. Just be free
to jot down your feelings,
progress, thoughts,
good days and
bad. Add stickers and use colored markers or pencils to be
more creative.
And note
any questions you may have, maybe list them at the end of the
journal, so that you can take the journal along on medical
appointments and ask your
healthcare
provider.
Safety
– Don’t
worry what others think or say here. If you need and can
have safety bars installed and other
safety equipment
in your
home, bathroom
areas
especially, good for you. Focal points include: safety bars
for
tub and shower areas, stairways (indoor and out), walkways
/ driveways that ice
up during
wintertime and any swimming areas.
Network
– Team
up with a fellow arthritis sufferer or two and meet for walks,
chat breaks and fun. Cyber-buddies are
great,
too. With
your favorite
search
engine, surf for arthritis forums and reach out to meet
new
people, find new resources to share and more.
Get up
and Garden – Multiple rewards here! You enjoy
this fun outdoor activity and benefit from healthy sunshine
and exercise.
You’ll
harvest plant, fruit
and /or vegetable crops to enjoy, share, sell for extra
income, donate and leave for local wildlife.
Take Breaks
– Especially if your job involves a lot of
sitting, get up and stretch your legs every 30 minutes
or so. Shake
out the stiffness.
Wrist
Aids – If
you’re at a keyboard all day, check out the latest wrist
rests for your keyboard.
Massage
– Treat
yourself to a massage to relief painful stress. Arthritic
patients have found
that massage
therapy and gentle
stretching helps
to relieve pain,
relax muscles, reduce swelling and aid in range
of motion in joints. No funds available? Check out a
library book
on how
to give yourself
a message.
Here
are some basic guidelines.
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