Cold weather appears to worsen the pain of arthritis. Couple this with lower levels of activity during the winter months and the pain seems to scream out for some kind of relief. All medication that calms the pain of bone scraping against bone is harsh on the stomach. There has to be a way to lesson the pain in one area without causing pain in another.
- Stretching is one way to tone down the amount of pain experienced first thing in the morning. Sit up in bed and raise the arms over the head and stretch. Next, with both arms raised, stretch to the left and hold for a count of six. Switch to the right for a count of six. Swing both legs onto the floor. Try to touch the toes while sitting. Repeat six times. Sit back on the bed and raise both legs. Swing legs apart as if doing a split and hold for a count of four. Repeat five times.
- Drink tea made with rose hip extract or one tablespoon of rose hips twice a day.
- Take the supplement glucosamine sulfates in 1,500 mg tablets or capsules.
- Rub capsaicin on the joints that ache. This salve is made from hot peppers. It is thought to work by altering the pain signals on the nerves of affected joints. Millions of sufferers get relief from using the salve.
- Take fish or flax seed oil supplements daily. They work as an anti-inflammatory.
Any kind of movement is good for relieving the pain of arthritis. Long periods of sitting or standing in one position can cause extreme pain. Shift positions frequently and alternate between sitting and standing. Stretch as much as possible throughout the day.
Massage is another natural means of easing arthritis pain. Thirty minutes of massage, followed by a warm bath or shower will help the sufferer get to sleep quickly. Check with insurance companies before scheduling a massage. Many cover the expense of massage by a professional massage therapist.
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