If you have arthritis, you are not alone. Arthritis affects over 50 million adults in the United States, with 300,000 of these being children. While there are over 100 different varieties of arthritis, the most common one is osteoarthritis. This is a degenerative disease involving the wearing away of the cushioning between joints. The condition comes with symptoms such as pain, swelling, and stiffness. You can also have rheumatoid arthritis – another form of arthritis that is common among adults. Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when your immune system misguidedly begins to attack the joints and other body parts, causing uncontrolled inflammation. Arthritis brings lasting damage to your joints. If you have arthritis, an East Village arthritis specialist can help get treatment options to manage your condition. Here are ways to manage arthritis at home.

Aquatic Exercises

People with arthritis will benefit from aquatic exercises. Water helps provide resistance that, in turn, helps increase the intensity of exercise. The buoyancy provided by water helps in supporting body weight and relieving the pressure on your joints. You will experience an improved range of motion, improved coordination, improved mood as well as quality of life, and, most importantly, you will have a reduction in your arthritis pain. Do aquatic exercises about three times a week.

Weight Loss

If you are overweight, you want to reduce weight because it relieves pressure on your joints, thus reducing pain and joint stiffness. The Arthritis Foundation hints that each pound of an individual’s body weight translates to 3 pounds of added stress on an individual’s knees and 6 pounds of added pressure on an individual’s hip joints. The pressure and stress being added to your body cause joint cartilage to break down quite quickly. This worsens your arthritis or osteoarthritis condition.

Tai Chi Exercise

You want to engage in a low-impact exercise like Tai chi that comprises slow and gentle movements to increase flexibility, balance, and muscle strength. Tai chi can help reduce pain and stiffness while also increasing the physical function of the individual.

Yoga

Yoga helps with the management of chronic pain. You may want to consider yoga moves that are designed to help relieve tension as well as inflammation. One such yoga type is Iyengar yoga that pays attention to having correct anatomical alignment. You may want to look out for other yoga moves designed to help deal with chronic pain. Individuals who use yoga poses may have improved mood, enhanced quality of life, improved health, and the ability to live with or cope with chronic pain.

With these exercises and home remedies for arthritis, you can ease the pain associated with the condition and improve your quality of life. You may try out other remedies like massage, hot and cold therapies, mindful meditation, and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. Having a diet rich in vitamins, omega 3, and iron, including fatty fish, garlic, grapes, ginger, spinach, and broccoli, also helps fight against the disease.

Visit your doctor to learn more ways to manage arthritis from home.