All You Need To Know About Treating Osteoarthritis Naturally

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The cartilage that provides a buffer between bones breaks down and wears away, allowing the bones to rub and grind against each other. Doctors have plenty of medications that can help you deal with osteoarthritis pain, and for people in extreme pain there are surgical treatments. But there also are a number of natural remedies you can use, often at home, to treat your pain.

Exercise Gets You Moving

Gentle weight training and aerobic exercise is a great osteoarthritis treatment that can strengthen the muscles around the affected joint, providing it with greater support. “This is really important,” says Roy Altman, MD, a professor of rheumatology in the department of medicine at UCLA. “Six times your weight goes through your knee every time you stamp down. If you have decent muscles around the knee, they absorb some of that shock.” Aquatic exercise is one of the natural remedies that have been shown to help.

Get Your Weight Under Control

If you’re overweight, you’re putting tremendous amounts of pressure, stress, and strain on knees and hips, worsening osteoarthritis pain. “Weight control in those who are overweight is one thing you can do to control symptoms and perhaps even slow progression,” Dr. Altman says. Losing weight also makes a difference in the success of physical therapy and in surgical outcomes. Eat a balanced diet, count calories, and do as much exercise as you can.

Use Ice or Heat Therapies

A lot of people swear by thermotherapy, the osteoarthritis treatment that uses heat or cold to relieve osteoarthritis pain. Heat is believed to work as natural remedy by increasing circulation in the joint and relaxing muscles that have clenched in pain. Cold can numb pain by cooling the nerve impulses to the joint and decrease swelling by constricting the blood vessels there. Ice massage has been shown to increase range of motion and function in knees hampered by osteoarthritis.

Consider Supplements

A number of supplements have been identified as osteoarthritis treatments. The combination of glucosamine and chondroitin is believed to help reform and repair worn or torn cartilage. Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil or flaxseed oil are anti-inflammatory agents. Studies have found that SAMe (s-adenosyl-L-methionine) can help reduce osteoarthritis pain. Early evidence has shown that the natural vegetable extract called avocado soybean unsaponifiables (ASUs) could be an effective osteoarthritis treatment that might even slow progression of the disease.

Eat Up Anti-Inflammatory Foods

Research has identified a number of foods that can reduce inflammation and swelling, which causes much of the pain associated with osteoarthritis. These foods include horseradish, mustard, garlic, onions, watercress, parsley, celery, pickles, lemon, and rose-hip tea. The omega-3 fatty acids in nuts, seeds, and fish also can reduce inflammation. Just eating a well-balanced, healthy diet is one of the natural remedies that can reduce inflammation.

Turn to Acupuncture for Relief

The ancient Chinese practice of acupuncture involves inserting thin needles into specific points on the body to relieve pain. Several controlled clinic trials found that acupuncture can treat osteoarthritis pain and improve joint function — in some cases, better than medications such as NSAIDs. “It’s been difficult to evaluate acupuncture, but there is a consensus now that acupuncture may be of value,” Altman says.

 Sample Massage Therapy

Muscles inflamed by osteoarthritis can often be soothed using massage therapy. The massage therapist lightly strokes or kneads the sore muscles, which can stimulate blood flow and make a stressed area become more warm and relaxed. Be sure to only use a massage therapist who has experience treating osteoarthritis patients, as arthritic joints are very sensitive and must be handled with care. Ask your doctor for a referral.

It may seem a bit frivolous, but going to the right spa has been shown to be an effective osteoarthritis treatment. Hydrotherapy, which involves soaking in very warm water or water containing minerals, can help relieve joint pain. Sulfur-rich mud baths also are a known natural remedy for arthritis symptoms. People may find their pain decreasing and their range of motion and mobility improving as a result of spa therapy.

Correct With Orthotics

Mechanical devices called orthotics can be used to help support and protect arthritic joints and relieve osteoarthritis pain. A brace placed on an inflamed joint can provide pain relief by supporting the joint and relieving some of the stress caused by body weight or daily use. Braces also can help realign joints that are being distorted by arthritis. Shoes are another form of orthotics — soles that absorb some of the shock of walking can be very beneficial.

Practice Mind-Body Medicine

Certain practices that focus on the interaction between mind and body can help people with osteoarthritis by relaxing and stretching muscles while allowing the mind to focus itself away from the pain. Yoga can improve your flexibility and strengthen muscles important to the support of arthritic joints. Tai chi also can relieve osteoarthritis symptoms. One clinical trial found that people with osteoarthritis of the knee or hip felt better after practicing tai chi twice a week for three months and were significantly better off than people who did not try tai chi.

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