Complications such as chronic pain that can arise from arthritis can reduce your quality of life, and it could be wise to learn how to cope with arthritis. Arthritis causes inflammation, swelling, and chronic pain in different parts of the body. Although it was associated with old age, more overweight people are risking getting it; moreover, hereditary arthritis can affect anybody with the carrier gene. You can seek expert advice on arthritis in Dundalk near you, which will help you cope with your condition. You can take your arthritis medications, manage your weight, stay active, and maintain a positive attitude to cope well with your state.
Take Your Medication
When you adhere to your arthritis medications by following the prescription, you can keep the condition from affecting your daily activities. If the arthritis drugs are causing unwanted side-effects, you can talk with the doctor as they will assess your health and develop another effective prescription. Moreover, if you have issues meeting the arthritis medication costs, you can talk with the doctor as many programs help the needy. Medications will reduce the chronic pain, inflammation, and joint swelling related to arthritis, and you will live an almost normal life even when battling the condition.
Manage Your Weight
For young people who do not have hereditary arthritis, weight management helps reduce the symptoms of arthritis. When individuals are overweight, their bodies exact more pressure on the body joints leading to injuries and infections such as arthritis. Moreover, adipose fatty tissues release chemicals that increase inflammation in the joints. Furthermore, being overweight risks infections such as diabetes and heart diseases. To maintain an optimum weight, you can incorporate healthy fruits and vegetables into your diet while avoiding processed food that makes you gain weight.
Stay Active
Being active makes your joints flexible and allows you to attain a normal motion range. Moreover, it keeps you healthy and cuts on body weight, improves core strength, and creates the balance you need. You can take part in cardiovascular exercises such as riding a bicycle, practicing yoga, and aerobics. If you are already overweight, you can work on it with your physical therapist. They will help you start on physical activities that help with weight, and it could be wise to start slowly and gain momentum as the body gets used to the exercises.
Be Positive
A positive mentality can boost your ability to cope with arthritis as it will help you find newer ways of coping with the pain. You can find ways to distract your mind from arthritis; when you find gratitude in other things, you can find a hobby or spend time with your family to keep your spirits high. Moreover, your therapist can find ways of helping ease your pain.
The Bottom Line
Arthritis can make you have a difficult time if you do not learn how to cope with the condition. Although arthritis can be inherited, being overweight will predispose you to the disease, and it is wise to maintain an optimum weight to reduce the intensity of its symptoms. Moreover, you can take the arthritis medications religiously, exercise frequently, and have a positive attitude to cope with arthritis.