Top 5 Things to Know About Arthritis

Arthritis is a condition that includes joint pain and stiffness. It primarily impacts older individuals, but not always. However, severe arthritis can decrease the quality of life for senior citizens if it is left unchecked. While not all type of arthritis are easy to avoid or treat, there are always a few things that you can do on your own here to help make sure that you or an elderly loved one are taking care of themselves and reducing the negative impact that arthritis may have on your life.

 

Here are the top five things that you need to know to start minimizing the negative effects of arthritis today.

 

A Lot of People Have Arthritis

 

According to estimates, there are 53 million people in the U.S. that suffer from arthritis. That’s a huge number, and most of these people are elderly. That means that it plays a large role in senior care.

 

There are Many Types of Arthritis

 

Arthritis is often used as a catchall term that applies to about 100 different joint issues. As such, arthritis is not something that can be treated with a one-size fits all approach. However, because there are some similarities amongst all of these, there are a few pieces of advice that we can all look at to in order to better manage the symptoms and the difficulties that come along with arthritis.

 

As you may have guessed, not all of these arthritis symptoms will appear in the same way and cannot be effectively managed in quite the same way. Even though there are some universal constants, it’s important to work with a doctor for best results.

 

Your Diet Matters

 

Believe it or not, your diet plays a large role when it comes to managing arthritis. According to the Mayo Clinic, foods that are rich in Vitamin C can help to minimize joint pain by reducing inflammation. Vitamin C is an antioxidant, and studies show that a variety of other antioxidants can also help when it comes to minimizing inflammation.

 

On the other hand, fried foods have a tendency to increase inflammation. Staying away from things that have been fried can help you to reduce unnecessary inflammation, too.

 

Arthritis has a negative impact on millions of people, but symptoms can be managed.

 

Exercise is Good

 

When you have joint pain, sometimes the last thing that you will want to do is exercise, but there’s a lot of research out there that indicates that this is actually one of the best things that you can do for yourself. Exercise strengthens joints and the muscles surrounding them, effectively reducing inflammation and reducing the amount of arthritis-related pain that people who exercise experience.

 

Of course, if you have arthritis or any other disability, you’ll want to make sure that you get a doctor’s advice before you begin any sort of new exercise regimen.

 

Get Help

 

Senior care is there to help make the activities of daily living easier. Arthritis can have a negative impact on people’s lives, and it can even lead to disability. Having an in-home caregiver to help make life easier can be the relief of a huge burden.

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