How To Help Arthritis In Winter

Arthritis often flares up during winter months. These Arthritis Pain Relief Tips For Winter Weather are just a few of the great ways you can treat this unfortunate autoimmune issue that attacks your joints and leaves you struggling with pain. Being able to battle against the frustrations of arthritis during the colder months is a must. From basic protection against inflammation to the support once the pain begins, this list of tips will help you relieve pain this winter.

What Is Arthritis?

If you aren’t familiar with arthritis, it is an autoimmune disorder that attacks the joints. It causes severe inflammation in joints that results in pain and swelling.  There are many different kinds of arthritis, but all create pain. Arthritis can be worsened by many things, but one that is very common is colder temperatures. Since winter weather can worsen the pain of arthritis, these tips are definitely needed even more.  

As with any health issue, make sure you are consulting with your physician before adding any new supplement or treatment to your routine. Safety is important when dealing with any medical condition, so always consult with professionals before adding anything new or different alongside existing treatments and medications.

Take Supplements That Encourage Joint Health

One of the most important things you can do to help with arthritis pain relief is to make sure you are encouraging joint health on a regular basis. There are several common supplements that have been known to help with both the inflammation that occurs as well as basic joint health. Keep these items on hand for regular use.  

• Turmeric
• Omega-3
• Glucosamine Chondroitin
• Vitamin C

Utilize Proper Joint Support Systems

Sometimes a simple brace or support system can make a huge difference in how you make it through the day. While this won’t take away all of your pain, it is one of the top arthritis pain relief tips for winter weather. By wearing a brace, you can support your joints and keep them from adding extra wear and tear. This gives you just the boost of support needed to keep going when you are struggling to keep your exercise routine when arthritis makes you want to just give up.

Vive Health has some great products that are affordable and work great for regular use to support some of the most commonly affected joints. Both of these help when working a lot at a desk or computer, but also doing basic daily tasks like typing or even for those who are a cashier or perhaps a mail carrier and doing a lot of repetitive movements on a regular basis.

• Carpal Tunnel Wrist Brace
• Arthritis Compression Gloves

Don’t Neglect Regular Exercise

One of the most important things you have to do for arthritis pain is to exercise. Much like any pain issue, regular exercise and movement help reduce pain. It may seem impossible to do at times, but the result is almost always better health. Stretching, regular low impact exercise, and routine movement will keep your joints loose and keep your pain low. This helps tremendously in keeping your pain level lower.

One of the arthritis pain relief tips for winter weather that I really recommend is doing some low impact aerobic water exercise. Not only is water exercise easier on your joints, it can often be done in a heated pool. This gives you double the benefit. Heat can be therapeutic for joint pain, so you are getting not only the movement and exercise benefits but the soothing benefit of extra heat on your joints.

Regularly Utilize Heat Treatment

As mentioned above, heat treatment is a wonderful way to soothe away some of the pain that comes with arthritis. Many individuals find that simply using a hot shower at the end of the day helps relax aching joints. Others prefer time in a sauna or hot tub. Still, others rely on things like heat patches, heating pads, or electric blankets.  

There are many ways to use heat to help soothe aching joints, but you need to always exercise caution. Remember that whatever you choose to utilize on your joints, you need to make sure to do so safely. Set timers so you don’t overdo things. Unfortunately, joint pain can also lead to some areas becoming numb on occasion.  Heating pads can lead to burns far too fast. Set timers and utilize things of this nature safely and only as needed so you don’t take any chances of further injury.

Apply Topical Ointments

Arthritis and smelly ointments seem to be synonymous. While Bengay and similar creams can be a bit on the harsh side when it comes to smells, they do work wonders for helping with joint pain. Many individuals prefer the menthol creams that are traditional, while others go for blends that include capsaicin. More natural options would include a homemade blend using coconut oil and a blend of essential oils. Topical creams and ointments are a great short term option to relieve pain from arthritis.

This winter, you can battle one of those frustrating issues that worsen with colder temperatures with ease. These arthritis pain relief tips for winter weather are easy to manage no matter your pain level.