Living with Less Pain from Arthritis

What would the high-priced occupational therapist say that you should do to lead a life with less pain?

You just need to think about what you are doing to your joints during your every day activities. Arthritis is a painful condition and is potently crippling, but it does not have to be. It is a progressive degeneration of the tissue that lines the joints both major and minor, of the body. With the application of a bit of wisdom that progression can be slowed considerably. Here are a few hints that will help you to slow it's progression and reduce the painful damage to your joints. You might opt for a pricey consultation with an occupational therapist, or you can follow the advice here and save yourself a few $$$.

Arthritis is made worse by both small and large injuries to the effected joints. The large injuries we already know about and avoid them at all cost. It is the small injuries, however, that we may not be aware of. We injure our joints when we stress them trying to open a difficult package or bottle. We further injure them when we try to tear plastic wrappers with our bare hands, when we clean the sink with a rag or sponge, the instinctive scrubbing action that we use is at fault. We injure them yet again when we try to twist a round door knob that resists. Yes it is the every day activities that continuously re-injure our fragile hands and fingers.

Some of the things we can do or use to make our finger joints happier are;

Activities;

1. Use flip top bottles. Open them by pushing up on the lid with the palm of your hand, not your finger tips.

2. Choose pump bottles. Pump them with the palm of the hand, not the fragile finger tips. You can empty your face cream, hand lotion, astringent and sun screen, along with any other cream that you use regularly, into a pump bottle for ease of your morning routine.

3. Choose large handle tools, the big round fat handles are the easiest to grasp, the fingers can relax while the wrist do most of the work.

4. Squeeze bottles, that open with button or pull up tops. Use the fingers down by the webbing not the finger's fragile tips to open them. Use the palm of the hand to close them.

5. Use the closed fist, not the open hand to scrub the sink or the kitchen counter. Pinch the rag or sponge between the knuckles and go ahead scrub with your fist closed. Using the fingers in an open handed position and applying force will cause joint damage so remember this one. Remember this hint when cleaning the bathroom too. Try some of the new scrub free bubbling cleaners for the kitchen and bath. They too can help to make light work of those tough cleaning tasks.

6. Use only the sharpest knives for cutting. Dull ones make your hands work much harder and are dangerous as you are more likely to slip because you need to apply more force to the dull blade to get it to cut.

7. Keep a small pocket knife or scissor in your purse or on your key chain to use while out and about. It will save you when you want to open that difficult catsup or mustard package.

8. If you can afford it, replace your doorknobs in your home with the lever type door opener. They can be identified by the short bar that you grab and push down on turning gently to open the door. It is much easier on your hand joints than the round doorknobs.

9. Keep moving, the joint is exercised regularly is the one that you will be able to use ongoing. There is truth to that old adage, "Use it or loose it."

Using the part of the finger nearest the palm is always a good idea when you can not use the palm itself. The smaller joints at the tips of the fingers are much more fragile and prone to injury than the larger joints further up the hand and arm. Your finger tips should be saved for low stress exercises like computer key boarding or piano playing. Your hands will thank you for it.

Diet;

There are some foods that should be taken in small doses and never alone, always with a meal that includes protein. They are; sugars and sweets, white bread, white potatoes, fruit, white rice and, beans.

Try eating wild or brown rice, whole wheat pasta, whole grain bread, fresh fruit instead of sugared sweets, and sweet potatoes instead of white.

Foods that will help you avoid pain and reduce inflammation are the dark greens, they include; spinach, kale, green beans, and broccoli. All green vegetables are good choices, the darker green, the better. Whole grain breads and fresh veggies and fruits instead of commercially prepared ones are better for your condition.

Other suggestions;

Follow your doctors advice and take the prescribed medicines for the inflammation, they will help to protect your joints from deteriorating further.

Do not forget to have fun with what life has to offer. Your state of mind is critical to your health, so live, laugh and love often, it will lessen your pain.

Wishing you a full and pain free life.