Arthritis

Using home remedies for arthritis and creating healthy habits may help reduce symptoms.

• Add more fruits and vegetables to your diet: Eating more plants can help reduce inflammation and, as a result, joint pain.
• Exercise most days of the week: Spend 30 minutes doing moderate-intensity exercise at least five days a week. Try activities that don’t place excessive stress on your joints, such as walking, swimming or using a stationary bike.
• Use heat and cold therapies: Heat can help relax tense muscles around your joints. Cold may relieve swelling, and it’s especially effective after physical activity.
• Bracing: If you have knee arthritis, wearing a brace can provide support, help reduce swelling, correct alignment and ease discomfort.

Medications are another effective tool for managing arthritis. Your physician can help determine which medications make sense for you based on your type of condition and symptoms. Common options include:

• Corticosteroids: These medications reduce inflammation and the immune system’s activity, both of which can help relieve symptoms.
• Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs): These medications restrict immune system activity and can be a valuable treatment for rheumatoid arthritis.
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): These over-the-counter medications are widely used for arthritis pain relief.
• Topical medications: Topical treatments, such as salicylates, may help reduce inflammation.

Nonsurgical therapy treatments can complement at-home care, lifestyle changes and medications. Your physician may recommend:

• Occupational therapy: Occupational therapists can suggest assistive devices, such as splints, to reduce discomfort and show you ways to perform daily tasks that place less stress on your joints.
• Physical therapy: With the help of a physical therapist, you can learn exercises to build strength and range of motion in the affected joint. When therapy ends, you can continue the exercises on your own at home.

Nonsurgical treatments may allow you to enjoy the quality of life you want. If, however, you’ve tried a wide range of conservative treatments and your symptoms haven’t improved, your physician may suggest surgery. Several surgical options are available, but the most common include:

• Joint repair: In some cases, joint surfaces can be smoothed or realigned to ease pain and improve movement. These procedures are often done arthroscopically, using small incisions around the joint.
• Joint fusion: During this procedure, a surgeon uses hardware to attach multiple bones in a joint, allowing them to fuse into a single bone as they heal.
• Joint replacement: A surgeon removes damaged portions of the joint and replaces them with metal, plastic or ceramic implants.