Tips for Living with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis is an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system of the body mistakenly attacks the lining of your joints believing it to be foreign substances like bacteria or viruses. This, in turn, creates inflammation, causing the thickening of the synovium (the tissue that lines the inside of the joints), which results in the swelling and pain in the joints. If inflammation goes unchecked for a long period of time, it does not only cause damage to the cartilage of the joint but the bones too.

Rheumatoid Arthritis can cause joints to become loose, unstable, painful and can gradually lose their mobility. It most commonly affects the joints of the hands, wrists, ankle, elbows, knees, and feet. Since it can also affect the cardiovascular or respiratory system, it is also called a systematic disease.

This article shows that making small lifestyle changes or improvements can help you in managing the symptoms of your rheumatoid arthritis, for instance - how much you sleep, eat and exercise can help you in not just easing your symptoms but improving your physical and mental health as well.

Following are few tips that can help you in easing your rheumatoid arthritis symptoms:

1. Don’t cut back on your sleep: People with Rheumatoid arthritis may have trouble in sleeping due to the joint pain and stiffness and lack of sleep can actually worsen the symptoms of your rheumatoid arthritis. So, sleep is a necessity to your physical and mental well-being because when you sleep, the body works hard at regenerating and repairing itself. Doctor’s suggest that going to bed at the same time every day may help you to get into a healthy sleeping rhythm.  If you are still unable to get sleep, then you can ask your doctor about it who might recommend you a sleeping medication that’ll help you fall asleep.
2. Eat healthy and anti-inflammatory food: When you have rheumatoid arthritis, it is important for you to not only have a nutritious diet but food that is rich in anti-inflammatory properties. Food containing omega-3’s such as salmon and olive oil have anti-inflammatory effects and eating them would help lower the overall inflammation levels in your body.
3. Manage your stress: Stress can aggravate the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. There is a multitude of stress management techniques that you can use to manage stress, such as, deep breathing and meditation.
4. Do Moderate Exercises: Exercising does not only helps in relieving the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis but also boosts your energy level, releases endorphins (which are feel-good hormones), and strengthens the muscles and joints. Regular exercises such as aerobic, strengthening, and stretching exercises help in improving the strength and flexibility of your muscles.

If you are suffering from rheumatoid arthritis then visit our website www.dranilmishra.com to book an appointment with Dr. Anil Mishra, currently working as a Senior Consultant Orthopaedic & Joint Replacement Surgeon at Pushpawati Singhania Research Institute, New Delhi.