Many aging people suffer daily with the discomfort, pain, and disability brought about by arthritis. Seeing them in this state can be worrying, if not heart-breaking.

While there are more than 100 types of arthritis, the most common symptoms are inflammation, joint pain, and stiffness caused by osteoarthritis. Other types of arthritis include gout and rheumatoid arthritis. Whatever type your elderly loved one has, it’s important that you seek a physician to recommend a treatment program to ease the symptoms and help prevent complications.

There are different types of treatments for arthritis, but here, we are listing some of the most common treatment for helping you ease your elderly loved ones’ pain from this disease.

Tips to Stop Joint Pain Brought by Arthritis

• Heat and cold. Alternately applying heat and cold for 15 minutes at a time on the pain can be of tremendous relief. You may use warm towels, hot packs, hot water bottles, or even give them warm baths. For cold, you may use cold packs or a bag of frozen peas or other vegetables so they follow the shape of the body, especially the joints.
• Avoid putting too much stress on the joints. Invest in assistive devices for your elderly loved ones so that they can move around easier. You may also check how else you can make life easier for them, like getting them easy can openers for jars, zipper and buttoning aids, bathroom rails, and other devices.
• Make sure to get regular exercise. Believe it or not, being active is one of the best ways to treat arthritis. It can increase flexibility especially in the joints, and therefore alleviate pain and stiffness. Walking, swimming, stretching, dancing, and even weight training can greatly help.
• Watch their weight. Excess weight can put more pressure on the joints and bones, and can cause more pain. Exercise and proper diet and nutrition can help keep your weight in check.
• Ease pain with medication. Choose medicines that can help relieve the pain and swelling, as well as improve their quality of life. There are medicines that can be bought without prescription. Still, you have to check the warnings and labels for side effects. It’s also important to follow the doctor’s instructions on how to properly take the medication.
• Try topical creams. There are over-the-counter creams or analgesics that may also help relieve the pain, even temporarily. These creams can help desensitize the area of the pain as it has capsaicin, an ingredient in chilis that make them hot and spicy. This substance depletes the substance P neurotransmitter for pain.
• Stock up on supplements. Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are popular supplements for people suffering from arthritis. They help relive symptoms as these are chemicals naturally found in the body that can help strengthen the cartilage surrounding the joints. Make sure to also get optimum calcium intake.
• Check in with your doctor regularly. Do not think that your elderly loved one’s joint pain and arthritis is part of aging. You can still make their lives better by talking to a doctor and come up with an effective treatment plan to help improve their quality of life.

For help caring for your elderly loved ones, you may get in touch with us at Blessed Home. We provide a structured environment for your loved ones to feel safe, secured, and empowered.