Tag: Tai Chi

Improving Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms

Improving Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms
Hans Hasselfors

Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease where white blood cells
suddenly attack healthy tissues, specifically joints and
cartilage. There are a few ways to help ease the symptoms,
depending on which stage of the disease you are in. If you are
in the early stages of rheumatoid arthritis there is a new
disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) which has done an
excellent job in controlling symptoms. It works best in the
initial stages, so if you suspect you may have rheumatoid
arthritis, see your doctor as soon as possible.

There are other options if you are in later stages of rheumatoid
arthritis. These are also helpful if you are still in early
stages. One is to use anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin,
ibuprofen, and naproxen. This does a great job reducing pain and
inflammation. However, these have side effects including heart
problems and gastrointestinal bleeding. You can also use
acetaminophen for your rheumatoid arthritis, which does not have
these side effects.

When symptoms are mild, moderate exercising including
stretching, weight lifting, and aerobics ease rheumatoid
arthritis symptoms. Be sure to rest when your joints flare up as
this would just add strain to your aching joints. Stretching is
important because it increases flexibility and is easy enough to
do at any age. When stretching, stop when you feel mild
discomfort and hold for 10 to 30 seconds. Then repeat 3 to 5
times. Weight lifting also improves flexibility as well as
strength and balance. Barbells are easy, convenient, and
inexpensive. Remember to stretch before lifting any weights.
Start with 3 sets of 8 to 10 repetitions. If you would like you
can start with no weights at all (such as going leg lifts for
rheumatoid arthritis in the knees), then add weights when you
can. Lift the weights slowly and evenly to not damage the
cartilage.

Some other popular forms of exercise for rheumatoid arthritis
are aqua therapy and Tai Chi. Be sure to find an actual
therapist as they have specific exercises they do for arthritis
patients. Aerobics instructors may push to far and do further
damage. Tai Chi has no long term studies proving its
effectiveness, but due to testimonials from patients who have
taken Tai Chi, the Arthritis Foundation began offering the
class. Remember to always check with your doctor before starting
an exercise program.

Some other ways to relieve rheumatoid arthritis pain are to lose
weight to take additional pressure off joints, eating a healthy
diet, getting enough sleep, using heat or ice, and possibly
using devices such as a cane, brace, or splint. There are many
resources for additional information on rheumatoid arthritis
including websites, flyers, periodicals, books, etc. Your doctor
should be able to provide you with some reference on where to
look for additional help.

DISCLAIMER: This information is not presented by a medical
practitioner and is for educational and informational purposes
only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for
professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always
seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care
provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical
condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay
in seeking it because of something you have read. Since natural
and/or dietary supplements are not FDA approved they must be
accompanied by a two-part disclaimer on the product label: that
the statement has not been evaluated by FDA and that the product
is not intended to “diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any
disease.”

About the author:
About the Author: Hans Hasselfors is the founder of http://www.SubmitYourN
ewArticle.com. You may find varied arthritis articles in our article directory.

Fatigue And Joint Pain: Common Arthritis Symptoms

Fatigue And Joint Pain: Common Arthritis Symptoms
Mike Herman

The symptoms of fatigue and joint pain, are associated with a
great deal of illnesses and diseases, ranging from the common
flu to serious autoimmune diseases like lupus or thyroid
disorders.

And…..

The symptoms that are most associated with arthritis are those
of fatigue and joint pain.

So if you are experiencing any problems that you think to be
arthritis, consult your primary health care provider before
making any attempts at self medication.

Although a diagnosis of arthritis may be troubling, know that
although there is no cure known today for the disease, there are
a great many treatment options available to deal with the
fatigue and joint pain so that you can reclaim your life.

Generally speaking, arthritis is a condition of inflammation
around the joints in a sufferer’s body.

Any joint is open to being affected by arthritis, but the
usually affected areas include the hands, knees, shoulders, and
back.

When the area becomes inflamed, the joints swell, causing a
great deal of pain and often an overall feeling of stiffness.

Usually, arthritis causes an individual to lose a certain amount
of mobility, whether it is an inability to grasp items or
complete a given task due to a restricted range of motion.

Quite often, individuals who suffer from fatigue and joint pain
are forced to give up favorite activities simply because their
bodies are unable to perform tasks they once enjoyed.

This can include hobbies that require fine motor work, such as
needlework, gardening, or painting.

Instead of letting arthritis rule your life, take a stance and
fight back. There are many over the counter and prescription
medications that can reduce inflammation and restore lost
mobility.

Consult your primary health care provider to ensure any
medications–including those that are advertised as all
natural–will not interact with any current medications or
medical issues that you may be experiencing.

Another way to ward off the affects of arthritis is to ensure
your body is in proper health.

Work to maintain a healthy, well balanced diet that includes all
necessary vitamins and nutrients.

Exercise at least twice a week and consider taking ancient forms
of exercise like yoga or Tai Chi.

About the author:
Learn More and Get the Type of Natural Remedies for Arthritis that Will
Help You With the Fatigue and Joint Pain Associated with
Arthritis

Arthritis Exercises To Improve Movement

Arthritis Exercises To Improve Movement
Mike Herman

The biggest complaint for more sufferers of inflamed joints is
undoubtedly the pain that is associated with even the simplest
movement.

Accordingly many are looking for arthritis excercises to improve
movement.

Additionally, many individuals with this problem suffer from
impaired movement, forcing them to give up the activities they
once enjoyed and often requiring assistance to complete minor
tasks.

If you are suffering from arthritis, use exercises to improve
your mobility and decrease pain.

These activities are quite simple and usually do not take up a
great deal of time.

Improvement is noticeable immediately after beginning these
arthritis exercises, so individuals will be able to notice
improvement.

If you suffer from swollen, inflamed joints that can drastically
limit your mobility and hamper your active lifestyle. Consider
beginning arthritis exercises to decrease pain and increate your
movement.

Many sufferers have adopted yoga as a method to combat their
painful, swollen joints.

The slow, simple, stretching movements of this ancient Eastern
exercise allow individuals to combat stiffness and regain their
loss mobility.

Consider joining a group or session that allows you to interact
with other individuals, often in your same condition.

These group sessions will allow you to correctly learn the
techniques and tasks associated with the ancient activity so
that you are best benefited from the task.

In addition to yoga, many sufferers engage in other Eastern
practices like Tai Chi in order to regain mobility.

The slow, deliberate movements of Tai Chi allows individuals to
focus their mind and body on lessening pain and stiffness while
beginning a new chapter in their life!

About the author:
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5 Tips for Dealing with Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain

5 Tips for Dealing with Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain
John Mancini

Do you suffer from rheumatoid arthritis and have had to quit
taking your prescription pain medication because of harmful side
effects? Are you looking for natural alternatives to help you
deal with the pain that you face doing everyday tasks? If the
answers to these questions are yes, then the following tips for
relieving rheumatoid arthritis are just what you have been
waiting for.

1- The most important thing that anyone can do for their bodies
is to exercise. This includes those who suffer from rheumatoid
arthritis as well. However, not every exercise is suitable for
sufferers of arthritis pain. The exercises that are done need to
be good for the muscle, while not being damaging for the joints.
A great exercise for those who are living with rheumatoid
arthritis, in fact for everyone, is walking. Walking is a good
low impact activity that does not put unneeded pressure on the
joints. Other alternatives to walking are biking or walking in a
pool.

2- The topic of exercising as a way to relieve the pain of
arthritis leads into another tip. It is very important to
incorporate balancing exercises into your daily routine. For
example, water aerobics and Tai Chi are two types of balancing
exercises. The reason for these types of activities is that
balancing is a very effective way of strengthening without undue
pressure on the joints. However, if the joints do begin to hurt,
the activity should be stopped. If the pain continues more than
a couple of days, it would be wise to consult your physician.

3- If you are suffering from the pain of rheumatoid arthritis,
it is a good idea to concentrate on your overall body weight. If
this is an issue for you, speak with your doctor about ways that
are suitable for you to take it off. When you are dealing with
any type of arthritis pain, the extra weight makes it worse.
Consider this; there is about 30 pound of force placed on the
knees for each ten pounds of weight that is being carried.
Therefore, the ability to lose ten pounds will effectively
result in 30 pounds of force being lifted from the knee.

4- Some rheumatoid arthritis sufferers find that applying hot or
cold compresses can help to alleviate some of the pain that is
associated with their condition. When using this method of pain
relief, there is a simple rule to remember, ice reduces pain
while the heat will loosen the joints and boost blood flow.

5- This next tip, while not an actual treatment option, is very
important to your emotional well-being. Educate yourself
regarding your condition, this will improve your attitude as
well as eliminate the element of surprise. Many people are
afraid to ask questions when they are faced with a debilitating
illness, they just wait for the bad stuff to start happening and
many end up depressed. Don’t be one of those people, ask your
doctor, ask friends, do research, learn as much as you can about
rheumatoid arthritis so that you can better deal with it.

About the author:
John Mancini has been writing about Rheumatoid Arthritis online
and offline for a long time. Visit http://stop-arthritis.net or
http://arthritis-cures.net to read more about matters like
arthritis drugs and arthritis pain relief.