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Dealing With Age-Related Arthritis
Dealing With Age-Related Arthritis
Arthritis is no fun to have, and while there are some younger and middle age people that may suffer from it, more often than not, arthritis is age-related. In case you did not know, arthritis is characterized by an inflammation of the joints, and it can affect a single or multiple joints at once.
There are literally a hundred different kinds of arthritis, with two of the most common ones being osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, and both are often associated with old age. The swelling and pain caused by arthritis can be severe, to the point of causing immobility.
However, there are some good ways to help make life easier, even with severe arthritis. Dealing with age-related arthritis is not easy by any means, but then again, it is possible. Let’s discuss some of the most effective ways of dealing with age related arthritis.
Ways to Deal With Age-Related Arthritis
The following are some of the most effective ways of dealing with age related arthritis; some may suit you, some may not, but hopefully there is at least one solution here which will work for you or your loved ones.
Exercise
One fairly effective way to help relieve the pain and swelling caused by age-related arthritis is to engage in exercise. Here we are talking about light exercise, not some kind of bodybuilding regimen or super cardio heavy running — just light exercise.
Two of the best forms of exercise for seniors with arthritis, and for seniors in general, is swimming, as well as water aerobics. The movement or exercise can help keep joints flexible and mobile, thus slowing down the debilitating effects of arthritis. In a pool, the water can support the weight of the senior. Water exercises are usually best because they allow for exercise without putting any weight on the joints. Forms of exercise such as running causes high impacts on the joints, which can make things worse. It’s all about the right forms of exercise, and not creating any new problems with the joints or muscles.
Assistive Devices
Many seniors may not want any kind of assistive device, as it might feel like they are losing their youth or independence. However, when it comes down to it, using an assistive device to walk and remain mobile, especially when it comes to reducing pain, is much better than not being mobile at all or being in extreme pain when moving and performing simple tasks. When it comes to the bathtub or shower, simple handles which help provide support are a big deal.
For the toilet, a raised seat to assist with sitting down and getting up can help, and the same goes for raised beds and seats as well. At the very least, canes and walkers can be of substantial help as well. Any assistive device to make life with arthritis more manageable will be a great investment.
Weight Loss
One of the worst things for anybody with arthritis is to be overweight. Being overweight in itself is of course unhealthy as it comes with a number of other serious health concerns which can greatly shorten the lifespan of anybody. However, when it comes to age-related arthritis, it’s one of the greater causes of pain and discomfort. Arthritis means that joints hurt, and when joints hurt, it is hard to walk, stand up, and move. Added weight places more stress on joints, which is manifested in pain.
Now, this is true for a middle aged person who is in decent shape, one with arthritis, but now add a few dozen or even a hundred extra pounds to the mix, and things get much harder. If it’s already such a problem for middle aged people, imaging how hard it must be to be overweight, to have arthritis, and to be a senior who is already weakening, simply due to age.
Therefore, if you or any senior you know has arthritis and is overweight, it is absolutely crucial to drop the pounds and achieve a healthy body weight. All of that extra weight adds extra stress to those already painful joints. Going back to the exercise point from before, it’s a good way to kill two birds with one stone — exercise to lose weight and to keep joints flexible at the same time.
Heat, Cold, and Medications
Something else that can go a pretty long way in helping to relieve the pain caused by age-related arthritis is heat and cold treatments. Everybody is different, and depending on the person, it might be heat that helps or it might be cold. It’s not that hard to figure out, but it is shown that both heat and cold treatments can have a pretty significant and positive effect for arthritis sufferers.
If all else fails, yes, there are some pretty decent arthritis medications, some from big pharma, and some alternative solutions too. For instance, medical cannabis is becoming increasingly popular, and it’s not only for the youth or people who need to relax. Medical cannabis, the right kind, is shown to have absolutely amazing pain relief effects.
Conclusion
The bottom line is that age-related arthritis is not fun because it hurts and impacts mobility, but the fact of the matter is that there are some pretty decent ways to deal with it. You won’t ever get rid of it, but you can deal with and manage it, often with fairly good results. Try to drop a few pounds if you’re overweight and get exercising to keep those joints mobile. You may want to use heat and cold treatments, try medications on the recommendation of your physician, and use assistive devices as well. Keeping mobile keeps you independent, and can also decrease further deterioration in your arthritis.
