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30 Best Treatments and Remedies for Arthritis

Topical Medications

Topical Medications

Topical Medications like creams, gels, and patches can work wonders for people suffering from arthritis. These are usually just pain relievers, so using topical medications in conjunction with other remedy methods is a great way to get relief from achy joints.

Cycling

Cycling

Cycling is one of the best low-impact aerobic exercises someone can do because it doesn’t involve the body impacting with a hard surface like they may with walking or running. Make sure the bike used (whether stationary or not) is the proper size to avoid any extra pain or injury.

Glucosamine

Glucosamine

Glucosamine is not just another pain reliever. It does its best to help your joints regenerate and stay strong instead of only providing temporary pain relief. In the long run, glucosamine supplements are a great way to deal with your arthritis. Don’t take glucosamine if you have glaucoma, intraocular hypertension, or a shellfish allergy.

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The Right Shoes

The Right Shoes

Despite what the packaging of your expensive sneakers says, a pair of flip flops is actually better for your arthritis. The flatter your shoe is, the less stress you’ll put on your feet, knees, and back. Stay away from those “special walking shoes” and get a pair of flat shoes if you want to have fewer aches and pains.

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Tai Chi

Tai Chi

Tai Chi is universally recognized as a great way to deal with arthritis. It will improve your range of motion while increasing your strength and flexibility. If you practice Tai Chi, your balance, mobility, and stamina will all go up while reducing the ailments in your joints. As an added bonus, joining a Tai Chi class will give you a community of people who are also trying to be healthy.

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Neoprene Sleeves and Braces

Neoprene Sleeves and Braces

Neoprene braces are great for anyone with arthritis. In fact, some companies have designed sleeves that also help keep in warmth while increasing circulation. IMAK Compression Arthritis Elbow Sleeve is one of the brands that’s suggested by the Arthritis Foundation.

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Ginger

Ginger

Ginger is one of those overlooked spices that can do a lot of good for you. It’s an anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving spice that will help you be as healthy as possible. Although drinking ginger tea is good for you, there’s no better way to get the health benefits of ginger than taking a ginger supplement.

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Chondroitin Sulfate

Chondroitin Sulfate

Chondroitin Sulfate is a safe way to relieve arthritis pain, cut down on inflammation, and strengthen your cartilage. It’s better for osteoarthritis than rheumatoid arthritis, but the benefits are still there for both conditions.

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Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 Fatty Acids are nutrients that are great for just about everybody, but they can be extremely beneficial for people with arthritis. Rich in vitamins A and D, they provide your body with fats it needs but cannot produce. Omega-3 Fatty Acids work to reduce swelling in your joints while preventing your body from attacking your own cartilage. To get Omega-3 Fatty Acids, you can take supplements or eat cold-water fish and tuna. 

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Turmeric

Turmeric

Turmeric is a miracle supplement that is beneficial to many people, especially those with arthritis. It relieves pain, reduces inflammation, and helps with joint stiffness. However, it shouldn’t be taken with blood thinners.

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Hot & Cold Pads

Hot & Cold Pads

Hot and Cold pads are one of the best, cheapest ways to deal with your arthritis. Hot pads will help loosen up and regenerate your muscles while cold pads will reduce swelling and dull your pain. You can buy hot and cold pads at the store or use common household items like hot washcloths and bags of frozen vegetables instead.

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Acupuncture

Acupuncture

Acupuncture can be scary, but evidence shows that the procedure can help those that suffer from arthritis pain. More research is necessary, but studies have shown that those who have acupuncture experience less pain than those who had no treatment.

Strength Training

Strength Training

Strength training, or using weights at the gym, is one of the best ways for anybody to stay healthy. It has even more benefits for people with arthritis than it does for people without. It will strengthen the muscles around your joints, keep your range of mobility high, and prevent swelling. You don’t have to become a bodybuilder but using weights a few times a week is a great idea. 

Anti-inflammatory Foods

Anti-inflammatory Foods

Anti-inflammatory foods like beets, nuts, and berries should be regularly consumed by anyone with arthritis. Because arthritis causes your joints to become inflamed, reducing inflammation is a crucial part of being healthy and pain-free.

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Massage

Massage

If you have aching joints, you probably know that massaging them helps. If you’re struggling to deal with your arthritis, consider going to massage therapy instead of massaging yourself. You’ll see fantastic results, be less stressed, and sleep better at night. There’s really nothing to lose.

Losing Weight

Losing Weight

Excess weight can cause significant issues for anyone that suffers from arthritis, especially if it’s in their knees or other weight-impacting joints. Losing a few pounds could help decrease the amount of pain felt, especially if the sufferer is overweight. A doctor should be able to determine if losing weight could help.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is extremely important for people with arthritis. It plays a crucial part in your musculoskeletal system’s health. It aids movement, improves your nervous system, and strengthens your bones. To get vitamin D in your diet, drink milk or go for a walk on a sunny day.

Yoga

Yoga

Yoga may be sweeping the nation, but it’s worth the hype. Even just taking one class a week will significantly reduce your pain and increase your mobility. It’s also great for stress relief, relaxation, and finding community.

Chiropractor

Chiropractor

A chiropractor won’t be able to cure arthritis, but they can help decrease the pain associated with muscle spasms. For those that have acute lower back pain, a chiropractor can break up the muscle spasm and scar tissue, which will ease the pain.

TENS Units

TENS Units

A TENS unit uses electricity to pulse through the skin and to the joint. This can help relieve pain and even reduce swelling. Many physical therapists encourage their patients to give them a shot.

Capsaicin

Capsaicin

Capsaicin is the ingredient that makes someone’s mouth feel like it’s on fire when eating a chili pepper. That same ingredient can provide heat to the body through a cream. The ingredient is also available in a pill form, but it works much better when applied topically.

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Gamma-Linolenic Acid

Gamma-Linolenic Acid

Gamma-Linolenic Acid (GLA) is a type of omega-6 fatty acid that’s found in primrose, black currant, and borage oil. Studies have shown that it’s effective at reducing inflammation when taken orally. It has no effect when rubbed onto the skin.

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Avocado Soybean Unsaponifiables

Avocado Soybean Unsaponifiables

Avocado Soybean Unsaponifiables (ASU) has been shown to block the inflammatory chemicals that cause pain and deterioration. This means that taking around 300mg daily could make a huge difference in symptoms.

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Biofeedback

Biofeedback

Biofeedback may sound like snake oil, but research has shown that it’s incredibly successful in relieving pain from arthritis. It works by helping pinpoint what causes the pain, and then it helps determine which treatments actually help.

Tylenol Arthritis Pain

Tylenol Arthritis Pain

Tylenol makes a special medication called “Tylenol Arthritis Pain.” It contains 650mg of acetaminophen, which can help relieve pain. It’s possible to take the regular Tylenol and get the same amount of acetaminophen, but it would require more pills.

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Aleve

Aleve

Typically, Aleve is one of the best options for those that have joint pain. This wouldn’t be a regular treatment, but rather one to be used when the pain is a little too much, or if there’s pain that isn’t commonly felt.

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Celebrex

Celebrex

Celebrex is a well-known prescription medicine that has been used to effectively treat people that have arthritis—specifically osteoarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and rheumatoid arthritis. This medication is designed to treat pain by decreasing swelling and stiffness. 

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DMARDs

DMARDs

Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) were designed for diseases that cause deterioration, like arthritis. They don’t cure the disease but can preserve joints by blocking inflammation. This slows down the deterioration and prolongs the joint’s life. 

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Thunder God Vine

Thunder God Vine

Thunder God’s Vine is a plant that shows strong promise. Studies have shown that the plant, when taken orally in capsule form, can improve some arthritis symptoms, specifically rheumatoid arthritis. That being said, when it isn’t prepared correctly, the plant can be poisonous.

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Swimming

Swimming

Swimming is one of the best ways to get in shape because it works the whole body without harming your joints. For people with arthritis, it’s a great way to stretch out and strengthen your joints in a non-stressful way. Better yet, there are so many different ways to swim that it’s approachable by almost anybody.

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