arthritis

How To Cope With Arthritis Every Day

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Have you wondered how to cope with arthritis every day? You may be wondering why I’m talking about arthritis, you may think it’s just for old people. No, it isn’t. There are over 100 types of arthritis, they each have different symptoms. Or no symptoms at all, interesting, huh? I’m going to share some of my own experiences with arthritis, I’m really a pretty private person, but I feel people need to understand arthritis. I hope you can use a few tips I have learned over the years. I will be honest with you, I refuse to take arthritis prescriptions. It’s who I am. The side effects of the drugs are not acceptable to me.

I’m not saying you should or should not use the prescriptions for your type of arthritis. This is a very personal choice. There is no cure for arthritis. You may be familiar with the term Osteoarthritis or Osteoporosis, I have a different type of arthritis.

Osteoporosis/Osteoarthritis

arthritis

This one has a primary and a secondary category. Primary appears without any obvious cause. Secondary develops in joints that are known to have sustained injuries over the years. Secondary also may be caused by joints affected by infections, fractures, or by another form of arthritis known as Rheumatoid arthritis. Sometimes, years of supporting the extra weight (obesity) lead to secondary osteoarthritis in our weight-bearing joints.

Most people don’t feel any pain from arthritis unless they have had joints overused or damaged. When symptoms do start they progress very slowly and may seem unimportant. Some people feel mild aching and soreness when they move. Once they get moving the pain may subside.

I guess that’s why we hear the statement “keep moving.” Some people have pain when they wake up in the morning, but once they get showered and dressed and “moving” the pain will feel less painful. Keep in mind everyone is different. I am not a doctor, nurse or anyone in the medical field. I’m sharing my research of over 30 years on arthritis.

When I was a little girl, I remember I always had back pain. Now, keep in mind I am not athletic at all. So, therefore I had zero sports injuries. I still have severe back pain to this day. This is when my Rheumatologist told me about 35 years ago something I have never forgotten it. I remember having my youngest daughter go with me to see him, and I was crying with pain. I told him I couldn’t take the pain anymore.

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This wise doctor told me something that day, “Get rid of the stress in your life and do something every day for someone else because you will put the pain in the back of your mind. If you keep busy you will feel less pain.” They were going to put a morphine drip in my body that I could use to control the pain. I opted against it, at least that day. I knew I could always get it if I really needed it.

He also told me never to stay in bed because of the pain, it’s the worst thing for arthritis. Now, he did mention I needed to get plenty of rest. If you lay in bed all day I will tell you the pain gets worse, or at least it does for me.

Arthritisarthritis

There is no cure for arthritis. Period. There are some things we can do to help with arthritis pain, but there is no cure. I remember when I first learned I had this disease. I had a pinky finger that was red, swollen and had a yellow substance (staph infection) on the side of my finger. I was in banking at the time and I made an appointment with one of my Orthopedic doctors because I thought maybe I had broken my finger it hurt so bad.

He took one look at it and said, “You have arthritis.” I said, “What???” He then proceeded to x-ray my neck, shoulders, arms, legs, hands, back and feet. Wow, I was shocked when he showed me the damage my body had from this awful disease. He told me I probably got it when I was 5 or 6 years old.

Risk Factors

Family History

Some types of arthritis run in families. The damage gets worse because it may become bone grinding directly on bone, ouch!

Arthritis Age

arthritis

Some types of arthritis, including gout, increase with aging. Arthritis and gout have to do with your uric acid levels. The doctors will check your white blood cells and red blood cells as well as to confirm your type of arthritis. The x-rays tell it all.

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Obesity

Being overweight puts a strain on your bones and joints. Your spine, knees, and hips take the brunt of being overweight. If you lose weight it will make a big difference.

Previous Joint Injuries

You may have noticed the older you get if you had tennis elbow from playing tennis or other sports, you will get arthritis in that joint, and many other joints as well.

Your Sex

Women are more likely to get arthritis over men. We’re talking 75% more women get it compared to men.

Exercise

Try and do non-impact exercise. I use a recumbent bicycle and go swimming because they are easier on my joints. Everyone is different, check with your doctor to get advice for what works for your body. Walking in comfortable shoes, you can start with short distances and increase the distance as your body can handle the new levels of exercise.

Glaucoma

I just had laser surgery on my eyes for Glaucoma, yes inflammatory arthritis can lead to Glaucoma. I have to have this surgery once a year to relieve the pressure in my optic nerves for the rest of my life. If you don’t wear prescription glasses, please get your eyes checked at least once a year. Glaucoma does not have symptoms, you may go blind and/or lose your peripheral vision before you realize you have Glaucoma. If you do wear glasses make sure you have your eyes checked for Glaucoma each time you go in for an eye test.

Symptoms

Redness, swelling, warmth, nodules, muscle aches, fever, pain, and fatigue, to name just a few.

Diet

Foods that aggravate this disease are sugar, fried foods, dairy, alcohol, tobacco, and processed foods. Cut out soda and flour baked goods. Eat more vegetables and fruits.  I’m sure there are more foods your doctor will tell you to eliminate from your diet.

Please share your tips we can use with this terrible disease. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I use essential oils, aspirin, and Ibruprofen, they all really help me cope with things every day.

Eating Whole Foods by Linda

Heating Pad

Ice Packs

Copyright pictures:

Knee picture: AdobeStock_118348863 by vishalgokulwale

Arthritis sign: AdobeStock_103495896 by greenapple78

Gout: AdobeStock_76033559 by ThamKC

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17 Comments

  1. When my grandmother died at a ripe-old-age, she left everyone in the family something to remember her by. My mother got all the cast iron cookware, my sister got all the quilts, mt dad got all the family portraits, and I got grandma’s arthritis. LOL! As a youngster I used to think all of grandma’s arthritis aches and pains “were all in her head”. Now I know better! Every time the weather changes my “gift” kicks in and I think of the old lady I miss so dearly.

    1. OH, Roland, your comment is the best! You got grandma’s arthritis!!! LOL! I hear you on the weather, oh my gosh. Mark and I moved to Southern Utah to live in the desert thinking it would help. It hasn’t. I have the giggles over the gifts she left everyone, I LOVE this! Linda

  2. Yes, arthritis Linda, very familiar term in my house, i was not satisfied to have one type of arthritis, but have four kinds. No need to go into details, people that have it don`t want to hear anymore about it.

    I am on Enbrel injections once a week, with blood work every 90 days to make sure there are no side effects. My advice to people is, get checked early in life, even if you don`t think it`s possible to have arthritis, i did not until the damage to my joints were beyond repair. Two years ago i could not walk without crutches or sometimes a cane. I don`t like taking high powered meds, but in my case, it`s the only way i can walk without crutches, canes, or help, Enbrel has stopped the arthritis from progressing any further. I walk one and one half miles every evening, you are correct in saying, keep moving, good health to you…….

  3. Hi, Linda!

    One of the best arthritis “remedies” is to make sure you get plenty of magnesium. Magnesium doesn’t necessarily require a diet high in magnesium or supplements, although both work, as it easily absorbs through this skin. Magnesium oil or soaking in a bath with epsom salts or magnesium flakes are easy alternatives to ingestion of magnesium. For those whom don’t know, there is actually no oil in magnesium oil. It is simply equal parts magnesium flakes and boiling distilled water stirred until the magnesium flakes are dissolved. Spray it on arms, legs, and abdomen after your shower/bath, wait about 5 minutes, then apply your favorite moisturizing lotion or oil.

    With a little more work, you can make a pretty easy salve to ease arthritis pain. I normally use clove or cinnamon infused oil, but any pain relieving herbal oil will work. I make my own infused oils, so I usually have them on hand.

    Here’s my simple salve recipe:

    4 T infused oil

    2 T cayenne pepper powder

    1 T each ginger and turmeric powder

    1 T dried rosemary

    2 T shea butter 2 T beeswax pastilles

    20 drops each peppermint EQ and, optionally, black pepper EO

    Place the herbs in a tea bag, fine muslin, or several layers of cheesecloth and tie closed. A fine mesh tea infuser works, as well. Place the bundled herbs in a 1 cup glass measuring cup or jar, that should be with the infused oil.

    Place water to about half way up the height of your glass container in a small saucepan. Bring the water to a boil, then lower to simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes, occasionally turning the tea bag and pressing with the back of a spoon.

    After 30 minutes, allow the oil to come to room temp, remove the tea bag, and press/squeeze as much of the oil from the tea bag as possible.

    Return the cup to simmering water and add the shea butter and beeswax. Allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the shea butter and beeswax is melted. Remove from heat and add EOs.

    Pour into a four ounce jar/container and allow to cool completely before putting the lid on.

    Use as you would any store bought pain relieving salve.

    I hope you’re having a great day! Hugs, Mare

      1. Oops, I just realized, where I said to place the bundled herbs in the glass measuring cup, that should be with the infused oil. I left out the latter in the instructions.

        It is really easy to make. I hope it works well for you and anyone else that wants to try it.

        I’ve made it a few times when I haven’t had the infused oil on hand. I just add a tablespoon of cloves or cinnamon chips to the herbs. I prefer using the infusion, but is does work, although I don’t think the end product is quite as good.

  4. I have had arthritis in my hands for many years. I take an over the counter systemic enzyme called
    Wobenzym N. I take 6 pills/day and only have slight problems with pain if i do anything that stressed the joints in my hands. It has no side effects and if I have any kind of muscle or joint injury I heal much faster than i did ten years ago. I am 74 and very active. I have recommended it to friends with mixed results. I started taking it at the first signs of my arthritis ( swelling of the hands in the morning).

      1. as far as i know Wobenzym N is the brand name of this product. I buy it online from various sellers and it always comes in the same packaging. i buy a bottle of 800 tablets for About $115. some sellers ask $300 for the same bottle. I go for the cheapest including shipping. Did i mention it is and enteric coated tablet and 29 million people in 22 countries take it. In one olympic year it got hard to get because athletes world wide use it. It takes about three week to a month to feel the effects. They say it may be a mild blood thinner but it doesn’t have that effect on me. It comes in bottles of 200,400 or 800 tablets. If you try it let me know how it works for you

  5. I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis approximately 10 years ago. I woke up one morning and was in so much pain I took half hour to get out of bed. I couldn’t sit and if I fell onto a chair I couldn’t get myself up again. I have been on all the medications available as well as having the needle jabs in my knees and shoulders. Thank God for leading me to BEST HEALTH HERBAL CENTRE, please don’t ignore this post is real. Dr Linda (Best Health Herbal Centre) RA herbal remedy cured me totally within 5 weeks of usage only. No side effect, it works like a miracle, please viewers out there that have any deadly disease, please don’t fail contact Dr Linda(Best Health Herbal Centre) via their website: (www) besthealthherbalcentre. com

    1. Hi Mac, I’m going to go check out her website. I love hearing new ideas and tips. I had to modify the website because it is not a “Secure” website and will compromise my site. People can copy and paste the URL. Thanks so much for letting us know about this remedy! Linda

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