Tips for living with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis is a progressive inflammatory disease which affects the joints of our body. It causes swollen painful joints and in chronic cases, it can lead to deformity and rigidity. Rheumatoid Arthritis usually affects the joints of the fingers, wrists, and ankles.

Rheumatoid Arthritis is an autoimmune disease – the body’s immune system attacks, instead of protecting the joints of the body. This causes swelling, inflammation, pain and over time, the joints lose their mobility due to loss of cartilage. This is an irreversible condition, hence early detection and aggressive treatment is the only way to control the disease.

Living everyday with such tremendous amount of pain can be a challenge, however a good combination of medication and small lifestyle changes can help the sufferer to lead a more active life.

EXERCISE

Even though it may be very difficult to even want to exercise, people suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis need to get some amount of exercise included in their daily schedule. On days when the inflammation and pain is less, patients can try some stretching exercises, low impact aerobic exercises such as walking, jogging, riding a bicycle or even aquatic exercises. All of this can help lessen the pain and symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

DIET

People suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis need to take good care of their diet. Even better if they could follow an anti-inflammatory diet. Of course, fruits, vegetables and nuts rank very high on this diet, however, patients should also include food rich in omega-3 to their diet. Processed foods and sugary foods should be avoided as much as possible.

SLEEP

A lot of patients suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis find it very difficult to go to sleep because of their pain. However, sleep is much needed at this time. The body can heal and repair itself while we are sleeping and hence, patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis require plenty of rest and sleep. Patients can try to establish a sleep pattern and stick to it. They can also try various ways to help induce sleep such as a warm bath, meditation, exercising etc.

PROTECT

Patients suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis should always protect their joints and take care of them. Care must be taken when walking, moving about, carrying heavy objects, or even when performing ordinary daily activities such as opening a door.  Pressure must not be put on the smaller joints. Patients can also protect their joints by using assistive devices which can bring down the amount of pressure applied to the joints.

STRESS

Stress and to an extent depression are usually diagnosed for people suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis. Patients will need to manage their stress as it makes the condition more difficult to deal with. Some stress reduction techniques are meditation, exercise modules, spending time everyday doing something they enjoy, taking plenty of rest.Patients who suffer from depression can also seek help from support groups to maintain a positive outlook.

ARRANGEMENTSA few simple arrangements around the house can make sure that the patient does not meet with any inconveniences while getting around their house. Removing any rugs or small furniture from around the house to ensure ease of movement, installing handrails especially in the bathroom, moving frequently used items to lower cabinets and making them easily accessible – all of these can help a person suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis to stay safe and get their work done.

MEDICATIONS

Diagnosing Rheumatoid Arthritis early and treating it with aggressive treatment can prevent the condition from becoming worse. Rheumatoid Arthritis treatment in Ayurveda has been especially beneficial for the patients and offers great relief to them. Ayurvedic treatment for rheumatoid arthritis includes processes such as dry fomentation, local oil bath, medicated bandage, oil plug, oil and decoction enemas, bundle massage, Sarvangadhara (pouring of medicated water over the body) etc.