This Article Can Help You Live With Your Arthritis Diagnosis

Arthritis is a painful degenerative disease that affects joint cartilage. While this condition is quite common, it can also cause quite a bit of pain. Available treatments include medication, diet modification, alternating heat and cold, strength training, acupuncture and a wide variety of alternative therapies.

Even if it is hard, you should exercise on a daily basis. If you don’t exercise the joints, they will become fatigued, and that will worsen your condition. You should also perform flexibility exercises, as it will increase your ability to flex your muscles.

If your arthritis has been diagnosed, then you are entitled to a handicapped sticker or plate. A lot of arthritis sufferers, ignorant of this fact, use regular spaces and needlessly subject themselves to some added pain and discomfort.

If you feel yourself becoming depressed as a result of your limited activity, consult a therapist. Many people with arthritis feel very alone; therapy can help to remember that you aren’t helpless. Those who suffer from arthritis are also likely to become depressed, or develop other conditions. Therefore, group or individual therapy can help address anything other conditions related to arthritis.

If you are having no luck with the available arthritis treatments, talk to your doctor about the option of joint surgery. Joint surgery can actually reverse some of the effects of arthritis that cause limited mobility and flexibility and is successful in the majority of patients.

Staying at a normal weight will put less pressure on your joints. Being excessively overweight will worsen your arthritis symptoms. Instead of depriving yourself of food by skipping meals, opt for a healthy, nutritious diet.

If all other treatments fail to relieve your arthritis pain, it may be time to consider talking to your doctor about your joint surgery options. Joint surgery can increase flexibility and mobility in arthritis patients, and has a good success rate.

Although arthritis cannot be cured, it can be prevented. There are also many things that can be done to ease the day to day pain associated with arthritis. Remember the tips in this article to prevent arthritis.