Treating Arthritis: Tips for relieving joint pain without a prescription

• By Jean Nesian
• December 28, 2022

His fingers are twisted from arthritis. That one sentence already brings to mind horror-film-worthy imagery. The real nightmare is that, when it comes to arthritis in seniors, such cases do happen – and are fairly common. 

We haven’t even talked about the often excruciating pain that comes with it which is our main topic of conversation. On the whole, conditions like arthritis require proactive and multi-pronged treatment approaches, especially in the elderly. 

Let’s look at the ways we can lessen the pain without an overreliance on prescription pills and beat back this specter as much as possible. 

1. Mind what you eat and drink

Most people rely on prescriptions for relieving their arthritis so they can enjoy any kind of food they want. That’s arguably a viable route to take, as long as it’s still medically sound. However, since we’re settling for using zero prescriptions, you’d have to start making sacrifices in your diet.

As far as making the right choices go, it’s not rocket science. Stick to healthy, whole foods, and you’re likely to see wondrous results over time. In particular, consider increasing your intake of foods that have been proven by studies to be especially beneficial to reducing inflammation in the body. 

Eat more fatty fish, herbs like garlic and ginger, and veggies like broccoli and spinach. Snack on some nuts like walnuts, pistachio, and almonds then follow them up with refreshing green tea. Boost your intake of turmeric as well and be sure to pair it with black pepper every time to boost your body’s absorption of curcumin. 

True joint pain relief for the elderly can only be achieved if you also keep from eating and drinking things that only exacerbate arthritis. In most cases, these are inflammatory food and drinks like sugar-laden desserts, sodas, and juices. It would also help to reduce your intake of saturated fats, alcohol, fried foods, and refined carbs like white rice, potatoes, bread, etc. 

2. Work and relax your body and mind.

Senior independent living near me often plans a variety of daily activities that will not only keep them moving and relieve their stress but also address chronic conditions like arthritis. They’re often low-impact in nature, like water activities, gardening, cooking, and dancing. Keeping your body moving loosens the joints and promotes weight loss.

As for letting your body take it easy, you can try out yoga, tai chi, and meditation. Relaxing your mind reduces the effects of stress on your body. It also keeps depression and anxiety symptoms at bay. You can also consider acupuncture, but according to studies, its benefits on rheumatoid arthritis are often minimal. 

Stretching keeps your joints flexible, while a massage from time to time can also greatly mitigate stress buildup in your body. The point is to include as much of these activities as possible since their effects are often synergistic. 

3. Rely on good, old heat and cold

People have been using heat and cold therapy when dealing with pain and inflammation for centuries, so why break the tradition? 

• Heat treatments can work wonders in boosting circulation to involved areas where joint pains tend to accumulate. They can ease up spasms and muscle contractions due to the stress you acquire all throughout the day. Be sure to rely on “wet heat” more, though, instead of dry heat, which means you should keep your heat pack moist or take hot showers.
• Cold treatments, on the other hand, directly lessen the pain. Plenty of people can attest to the efficacy of simply wrapping your knees with ice or gel packs for close to instantaneous relief. 15 minutes a day can already do a lot of good.

4. Have some herbal supplements

Capsaicin capsules aren’t exactly considered prescriptions, so they also remain a viable option for those who want to avoid the side effects of pain meds. Even better if you can get your hands on some topical capsaicin that you can directly apply to the joints where most of the pain is originating from. Applications thrice a day have been found to be especially beneficial. 

Senior living communities near me should also try out other natural supplements like ginger, devil’s claw, willow bark, Indian frankincense, and Boswellia Serrata since these are all science-backed as well.  

5. Consider undergoing TENS

TENS stands for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and has been recommended by doctors and physical therapists for seniors who are trying to cut back on their opioid medication. How does it work? Well, attending personnel will attach pads to the involved areas, which will perform most of the nerve stimulation for you. 

Whether your pain is confined to a single area or multiple areas in your body dictates how you use a TENS unit. If it’s the former, then you only need to attach the pads to the involved joint. If it’s the latter, experts recommend applying it to the most painful joints first. 

TENS has been used to great effect in helping seniors get pain relief from a host of conditions like back injuries, neuralgia, neuropathy, and, you got it, arthritis. It’s especially recommended if you’re suffering from joint degeneration as a result of osteoarthritis. It works because it boosts circulation to the areas that are stimulated and encourages the body to produce endorphins that help reduce the pain. 

Conclusion

The health puzzle that is arthritis may be a hard nut to crack, but the pain that comes with the condition can be significantly lessened. For many elderly sufferers out there, being able to gain a respite from it, even if there’s really no viable way to cure it, is enough. it completely. 

To close, sometimes, all it takes is for you to try out something to see just how much of a difference it can make. All of these tips have brought plenty of relief to numerous seniors who have tried them out. You’re practically missing out on well-deserved pain relief if you don’t give at least a few of these tips a try.