Living a quality life is heavily dependent on our overall well-being.
However, the human body isn’t fully protected from sickness and other health issues.
One of the most common conditions a lot of people experience as they age is osteoarthritis. With that, let’s learn more about osteoarthritis pain management to help you deal with discomfort more easily.
A Quick Look into Osteoarthritis
Also known as “wear and tear” or degenerative joint disease, osteoarthritis is a chronic condition that mostly affects a person’s knees, hips, and hands due to the cartilage breakdown of the joints.
In 2018, osteoarthritis affected over 2 million people in Australia, as featured in an article from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Meanwhile, over 58 million people are suffering from the same condition in the United States and millions worldwide.
As of this writing, experts in the medical field are still searching for a cure for osteoarthritis. Regardless, osteoarthritis management is still possible with various remedies. Let us learn more about them in this blog.
A Guide to Osteoarthritis Pain Management
1. Exercise
We all know that exercising comes with various benefits for our health. However, some think it may worsen osteoarthritis, as the movement may cause more harm and pain. On the contrary, research proved that people with osteoarthritis must exercise more frequently, given the role it plays in maintaining and improving joint mobility and muscle strength.
It is also important to note that managing osteoarthritis through exercise doesn’t mean doing intense workouts. Even low-impact activities like walking can make a significant difference without straining your joints.
2. Exercise Physiology
Unlike exercising, wherein you just walk, swim, or do some stretching, you’ll receive a more targeted plan for the treatment of osteoarthritis with exercise physiology.
Exercise physiologists will closely study your situation and health condition so they can devise a comprehensive and personalised plan to improve your mobility, enhance osteoarthritis pain management, increase muscle strength, achieve better balance, and ultimately, maximise your quality of life.
After the test, these health professionals will then create customised exercise programs to meet your needs and goals. This is exactly what we do at Sure Health Management—we will provide you with the support you need to help you manage your pain better with a program that’s specific to you.
3. Hot and Cold Therapy
If you need immediate pain relief for osteoarthritis, you may opt for hot and cold therapy. While it only provides temporary relief, these options are accessible because you can find them in your home.
Using hot packs and warm baths or showers help reduce pain and stiffness of the affected joint. On the other hand, cold therapy, including the use of cold packs, frozen gel packs, or even ice cubes, aids in minimising the swelling and numbs the pain for a while.
4. Pain Relief Medications
Medications can also provide short-term pain relief for osteoarthritis. Most people opt for these medicines because of the immediate relief it provides. You can buy over-the-counter pain relievers, like ibuprofen, naproxen, and diclofenac, at your local pharmacy.
If you find your body not responding to the said medicines, we highly recommend you seek professional care and ask for their advice regarding these pain medications.
Nevertheless, it is essential to remember that medications may have side effects—some worse than others. So, it is not best to always rely on these drugs for relief.
5. Change Your Lifestyle
In most cases, it is the things you do every day that makes your body respond negatively. That is why changing your lifestyle, slowly but surely, will help you achieve a healthier life.
Experts found that being obese adds extra strain on your joints, thus, worsening the pain caused by osteoarthritis. Trying to keep a healthy weight by eating a balanced diet and exercising can help you manage the pain. Consulting a physiotherapist will also help you devise an exercise program that will help you lose weight and manage osteoarthritis at the same time.
Moreover, avoiding activities that stress your joints and modifying some things you do in your workplace or home will be beneficial.
Suffering from Osteoarthritis? Manage the Pain Well with Sure Health Management!
As mentioned in this short article, there are various ways for osteoarthritis pain management, each with different effects on our bodies. You can take some medicine for temporary relief or have osteoarthritis therapy.
Our goal at Sure Health Management is to help you deal with different types of body pain due to varying medical conditions. As such, our highly experienced physiologists in Malvern can help you deal with the discomfort you’re feeling with our exercise physiology programs. Not only will this program aid you in managing your pain better, but it will also help you with weight loss, high blood pressure, cholesterol, and more!
Contact us at 03 9822 9996 or email info@surehealth.net.au for more details.
