Osteoarthritis (OA) affects nearly 27 million Americans, making it the most common type of arthritis. It is a major cause of work disability and reduced quality of life. However, managing osteoarthritis doesn’t mean merely popping pills to numb the pain. There are many alternative methods to manage osteoarthritis pain.

Once properly diagnosed, there are many ways to manage the pain of osteoarthritis. Some ways are more conventional than others, but since not everyone responds to various therapies similarly, it is a good idea for an individual to try several techniques (under the supervision of a doctor) to find out what works best.

Weight Control
One of the most important ways to manage the pain of arthritis is weight control. For every one pound of weight lost, there is a four pound reduction in the load exerted on the knee for each step taken during daily activities; and losing as few as eleven pounds can cut the risk of developing knee osteoarthritis by 50 percent for some people.

Exercise
Regular exercise helps keep joints moving, lessens pain and makes muscles around the joints stronger. Swimming is particularly suited for people with osteoarthritis because the water’s buoyancy allows for exercise with minimal impact stress to the joints while building strength and increasing range of motion.

Warm and Cold Therapy
Warm and cold therapy can also be effective pain management techniques. Heat therapy, such as a warm shower, hot pack or heating pad can relax stiff and sore muscles. Cold therapy, such as cold compresses and frozen gel packs, works by numbing nerve endings in affected areas. Note that people who have Reynaud’s phenomenon should not use cold therapies.

Relaxation
While treating the body for osteoarthritis pain, don’t neglect the power of your mind. The mind plays an important role in how you feel pain and respond to illness. Managing stress through relaxation techniques can give a sense of control and wellbeing that makes it easier to manage pain and may also lesson anxiety, depression and sleeping problems.

Occupational Therapy
A doctor may prescribe occupational therapy for someone with osteoarthritis. Occupational therapists can assist with body mechanics (learning to move the body in ways that do not increase pain), joint protection techniques and adapting daily activities to conserve energy.

Freedom Home Care can help someone with arthritis to be as independent and in control of his or her own life as possible. Freedom Home Care understands the needs of the arthritic patient and provides traditional and non-traditional in-home care offerings based on each person’s needs. Contact Freedom Home Care in Dothan, Alabama at 334-803-8078 or Opelika, Alabama at 334-745-7308 for more information on private duty care and to get a partner in care who can assist with appropriate pain management suggestions for someone with arthritis, as well as ensure a caring person is there when a helping hand is needed. Freedom Home Care also has offices in Columbus, Georgia and Montgomery, Alabama.