Joint pain caused by arthritis can be debilitating to the point you may start to avoid activities you love just to escape your discomfort. Though arthritis may be a long-term condition without a known cure, you can take steps to reduce your pain and get back to your favorite activities.
Here are six effective ways to reduce joint pain if you are living with arthritis.
1. Increase Your Activity Level
Exercise is one of the best ways to reduce arthritis pain due to the way it releases endorphins. Endorphins are hormones, or feel-good chemicals, that your body releases in response to exercise and stress. These hormones can block the sensation of pain—including joint pain being caused by arthritis.
Make time to exercise every day, even on days when your symptoms are at their worst. You may find that your joint pain gradually goes away shortly after you start moving.
Try to do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every week or as much as your health allows. Your doctor can also recommend the ideal types of exercises you can do based on your overall health status.
2. Lose Excess Weight
Of the 58 million adults in the United States who have arthritis, an estimated 39 million, or 67%, are overweight or obese. Excess weight puts extra stress on joints—particularly in the hips and knees. This factor can often worsen joint pain and other arthritis symptoms.
The CDC states that for every pound you lose, you will benefit from a four-pound reduction in the load being placed on your knees. Therefore, even moderate weight loss may greatly reduce pain and disability caused by arthritis.
3. Protect Your Joints
Certain activities can worsen your joint pain and increase the amount of stress being placed on your joints. Jumping, deep lunges, and squats are examples of activities that can increase joint pain—especially if your form is off.
The best exercises for joint protection and joint pain prevention are swimming, walking, and bicycling. These low-impact exercises pose a reduced risk for injuries and also promote the body’s release of endorphins that can help you experience pain relief.
4. Work Closely With Your Doctor
There are dozens of treatments available for arthritis, so you should work closely with your doctor to find the ones that work best for you. Everyone responds differently to certain types of treatments, which means treatments that work great for you may not work as well for others, and vice versa.
Maintaining close communication with your doctor is important if you have arthritis, as it allows your doctor to modify your treatment plan as needed to reduce your symptoms. Because there is no known cure for arthritis, the goal of treatment is to reduce joint pain, minimize joint damage, and improve your quality of life.
Available arthritis treatments include:
- Over-the-counter pain relievers, such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- Exercise therapy
- Physical therapy
- Hot and cold therapies
- Weight loss programs
- Relaxation therapy
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Splints and braces
- Assistive devices, such as canes and walkers
- Topical creams and ointments
- Corticosteroids
- Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), which can slow the progression of arthritis and save joints and tissues from permanent damage
- Surgery, to repair joint damage or to replace joints
If you are diagnosed with arthritis, your primary care doctor or rheumatologist will discuss all your available treatment options.
5. Modify Your Diet
Certain foods have anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce joint pain and inflammation being caused by arthritis. Healthy foods can also strengthen your immune system, reduce your risk for disease, and improve the way you feel from day to day.
Fatty fish like salmon, tuna, and mackerel are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are shown to reduce morning stiffness and the intensity of joint pain.
Other foods to include in your arthritis diet are:
- Nuts and seeds, such as walnuts, pine nuts, and almonds
- Dark leafy greens, such as kale, spinach, and arugula
- Fruits, especially berries and other fruits that are bright or dark in color (blackberries, blueberries, grapes, and oranges)
- Vegetables, such as cabbage, broccoli, and bell peppers
- Olive oil
- Beans, such as black beans, kidney beans, and pinto beans
- Whole grains, such as oats, millet, and quinoa
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Turmeric
6. Learn New Arthritis Self-Management Skills
Many community centers around the United States host workshops that teach people with chronic diseases like arthritis how to effectively manage their conditions and stay as pain-free as possible. These programs are called self-management education (SME) programs and can show you how to take control of your symptoms.
SME workshops meet for 2.5 hours a week for six weeks in convenient community locations and rarely cost more than $50. On top of teaching you how to manage joint pain, these workshops will teach you how to deal with frustration, fatigue, and isolation and how to practice relaxing techniques like deep breathing and meditation. You will also learn how to use medications safely and appropriately and how to make sound, informed decisions about your health.
Ask your doctor for more information about SME programs in your area and about other effective ways to manage and reduce your joint pain.
Resource Links
- “beta-endorphin” via National Cancer Institute
- “5 Ways to Manage Arthritis” via Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- “Weight Loss for Adults with Arthritis” via Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- “Arthritis and Joint Pain Management” via Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- “Arthritis Basics: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Steps to Take” via National Institutes of Health
- “The Ultimate Arthritis Diet” via Arthritis Foundation
- “Effects of Nutritional Interventions in the Control of Musculoskeletal Pain: An Integrative Review” via National Library of Medicine
- “Managing Arthritis” via Centers for Disease Control and Prevention