Chronic arthritis can be a painfully real occurrence of everyday senior living. 

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, some 50 million American adults suffer from arthritis—21 million of those experience pain or other symptoms so severely that it impacts their ability to perform daily tasks.  At the Deupree House, our trained staff has experience with the prevention, recognition and treatment of arthritis.

 We know that it can often be difficult to deal with the chronic pain of arthritis, so we’ve developed a few simple strategies to help you manage your pain and keep living well.

Get Active.

While the thought of physical activity may be daunting, regular exercise has been proven to have all manner of benefits for individuals who suffer from arthritis.

• Motion is lotion—strengthen weakened joints and improve flexibility by exercising the affected areas.

• 

  Get your heart pumping with gentle exercises to warm up those joints and boost the oxygen your tissues receive and facilitate recovery or repair. 

• Establish a routine and you’ll see additional stress on your joints melt away with your extra pounds.

• Remember to balance your exercise with periods of rest to decrease inflammation and allow your body a chance to rejuvenate.

At Deupree House, our trained physical therapists and rehabilitation experts are always willing to suggest appropriate exercises and assist you in regaining range of motion.

Test Temperature Therapy

Heat improves senior living for arthritis sufferers by increasing blow flow which helps decrease inflammation, relax tight muscles and eliminate elements that cause stiffness or soreness.

• A hot dip may seem like the perfect solution, but if you’re an older adult or suffer from respiratory or cardiac problem, speak to your health care provider before using total immersion.

• A better method, especially for spot treatment of isolated pains, may be heating pads.  Try using microwaveable bags or electric pads that shut themselves off to avoid burns or other heat risks.

• If you want a continuous source of heat without the concerns of plug-in devices, you may want to consider heat wraps that provide a low level of heat for up to 8 hours.

• For pain in hands or feet, try a wax treatment.  The coating of melted paraffin concentrates heat on sore joints as it slowly cools and can be peeled away once fully hardened.

Cold works the opposite of heat by decreasing blood flow—reducing swelling and slowing the transmission of pain and inflammatory agents.

• Cold packs, compresses, wraps can all be used to relieve arthritis pain.  Cold treatments are especially effective in treating sudden flare ups or pain and swelling after exercise, but be careful not to leave the pack or pad on for too long.  Any longer than 30 minutes can cause damage to skin and underlying tissue.

Try a Topical

Topical analgesics in the form of a gel, cream, patch, or spray taken orally or applied directly to the skin over the affected area can help relieve sudden flare ups for a short period.

• Sodium channel blockers applied to the skin treat pain by numbing nerve endings close to the surface.

• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the most effective topical in the treatment of arthritis pain as the reach into the joint fluid to decrease inflammatory agents.  Talk to your doctor about available prescriptions.

 _________________________________

Being educated may be the most critical step you take in managing your arthritis pain— which may provide relief and diminish the chances of incurring further harm or damage.  Whatever your area or level of pain, keep living well by having an honest dialogue with your health care provider.  

Consult your doctor before trying home remedies, and learn about what pain treatments are available and what strategies might be right for you.