Arthritis can be painful and debilitating at any time of year, but it can also become exacerbated by cold weather. With winter on its way, the time to prepare for arthritic flare-ups is now. Here are five of the best ways to treat flare-ups so that you can be ready before they hit this winter season.
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Healthy Eating
For many people, the key to managing arthritis pain is a good diet. That’s not to say that you can cure arthritis through eating well, but certain foods can help you to fight some of the symptoms of arthritis, including:
- Inflammation
- Boosting the Immune System
- Strengthening Bones
While the benefits of these foods may vary from person to person, many people believe that a proper diet can be helpful. Maintaining a good diet can also help you to lose weight. Carrying extra weight on your body will add increased pressure to your joints, which will cause painful joints to feel worse.
You can help to relieve this extra burden by eating well and shedding a few pounds. That said, you should always consult a doctor whenever you plan on losing weight, especially if you happen to be older.
Get Moving
Allowing your joints to get stiff from a lack of movement will exacerbate the symptoms of arthritis in the winter. Just like a vehicle, your body is designed to keep moving, and it will not perform as well as it should if it suffers from a lack of use.
While any arthritic pain can make it challenging to stay motivated to get active, light exercise can help improve your condition. The goal isn’t to exercise like Arnold Schwarzenegger but to ensure you get some physical fitness each day. After all, exercise is likely the best remedy for joint pain that doesn’t involve drugs.
Physiotherapy Services
Physiotherapy is designed to manage many kinds of pain by assessing a person’s unique condition and finding a treatment solution specifically to assist with their unique needs. If you haven’t been suffering from arthritis pains for very long, you might not realize that you can get relief from physiotherapy treatment. That’s why you can find a sports physiotherapy clinic that also employs specialists who can treat arthritis pain or other forms of chronic pain anywhere in the body.
Stay Warm
It might seem obvious, but it is worth mentioning that you get flare-ups in the winter due to exposure to the cold. The good news is that this gives you an easy solution: dress warmly. Don’t take shortcuts that will only cause you to feel pain later. If you go outside, make sure you dress appropriately to avoid exposure to the cold.
Take Vitamin D
Given that vitamin D can help reduce inflammation in your body, a supplement may help reduce your potential for flare-ups in the winter. Consider that we all get less vitamin D during the winter because we are exposed to the sun infrequently.
If you regularly suffer from winter flare-ups from your arthritis, now is the time to try a new treatment solution. Contact a physiotherapy clinic in your area today.