Arthritis can be painful and limiting. Many people have experienced it in one form or another. There are several treatments including medications, exercise, diet, and lifestyle changes. Even sleeping habits and mood changes can affect arthritis. There is no direct correlation between how severe your arthritis is and how much pain you feel. So how do people deal with this disease?

There are several ways to lessen how much pain you have when your arthritis acts up. Some are preventative. One way is to lose weight. Extra pounds add stress to your joints. Eat a healthy diet. Not only will that help you keep those extra pounds off, but there are certain vitamins that specifically help arthritis. Vitamin C repairs tissue, vitamin D absorbs calcium, builds bone mass, and prevents bone loss, and calcium strengthens your bones. Moderate exercising strengthens your joints and increases flexibility and stability. Those with rheumatoid arthritis need to refrain from exercising during flare ups. You should only exercise to the point where you feel mild discomfort. You should not feel pain. Get plenty of sleep. Patients with arthritis should get 8 to 10 hours of sleep.

When your arthritis does flare up there are different treatments to help with the pain and inflammation. One common treatment is the use of medication. Certain types of medications can have serious side effects, so you need to weigh the pros and cons with your doctor. Ice packs can help with swelling and inflammation, but people with circulatory problems should avoid this. You can also use a heating pad or take a hot bath or shower. Patients with arthritis may sometimes use splints, braces, canes, or walkers for stability.

There are adjustments you can make in your home to ease your arthritis too. A "grabber" can help you get a can out of the cupboard or pick up laundry off the floor. Replace faucet handles that twist and round door knobs with levered handles. Don't overdo it. Tiring yourself out can especially provoke flare ups for people with rheumatoid arthritis. Take breaks and don't feel like you have to do everything in one day.

If you are in a situation where you don't move around a lot, it could affect your arthritis also. Sitting at a computer desk for 8 hours a day can stiffen you up. Be sure to take a break to move around and do stretches. If available, use a trackball instead of a mouse and a split keyboard. If you have the right software you can use "macros" to store frequently used words and phrases. This will save on your typing. Again, take it easy. You don't want your arthritis to flare up from overextending yourself.

There are many things you can do to prevent or lessen an arthritis flare up. It is important to do your part. It is equally as important to check back with your doctor for advice as well. Don't be afraid to ask for help and check with your local Arthritis Foundation to see what resources are available to you.

There was an elderly couple who in their old age noticed that they were getting a lot more forgetful, so they decided to go to the doctor. The doctor told them that they should start writing things down so they don't forget. They went home and the old lady told her husband to get her a bowl of ice cream. "You might want to write it down," she said. The husband said, "No, I can remember that you want a bowl of ice cream." She then told her husband she wanted a bowl of ice cream with whipped cream. "Write it down," she told him, and again he said, "No, no, I can remember: you want a bowl of ice cream with whipped cream." Then the old lady said she wants a bowl of ice cream with whipped cream and a cherry on top. "Write it down," she told her husband and again he said, "No, I got it. You want a bowl of ice cream with whipped cream and a cherry on top." So he goes to get the ice cream and spends an unusually long time in the kitchen, over 30 minutes. He comes out to his wife and hands her a plate of eggs and bacon. The old wife stares at the plate for a moment, then looks at her husband and asks, "Where's the toast?"

Listen To More Music

Sound therapy is becoming commonplace in homes with newborn infants and older adults. There are many benefits of sound therapy including calming and increasing the patients sense over overall well being. Find some soft music that you enjoy, and try playing it at the lowest possible volume in a quiet room. You will find that before too long, if you are quiet and relaxed, that you hear the music as though it were at full volume.

Nevertheless, selling products or services online has become very popular for many new entrepreneurs ranging in all ages, even as young as 15. If you run a small business online where you sell an information product, such as an eBook, you can write the eBook yourself as a guru on the topic. For example, let's say you studied religion in college and got a PH.D in this subject. You write up an eBook explaining a drastic point of view concerning scriptures. You make sure it is information packed and very good quality. You sell it for $14.95 to whoever is interested and you get their email address so you can forward them new updated info. You now have an email list so you can keep in contact with your buyers and possibly sell them other products in the future. You keep track of all your sales, you take care of customer service, and you handle everything. Guess what? You keep 100 percent of the profits.

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