What Can Your Senior Do to Improve Arthritis Symptoms?

Arthritis is a fairly common problem, but there are still some misconceptions about how to deal with some of the symptoms. Your senior might be tempted to avoid using her joints, especially when they hurt or are swollen. But that can make the problem that much worse in the long run. There are other solutions she can try instead.

Improving Joint and Muscle Pain

Elder Care Faith, NC: Improving Arthritis Symptoms

Joint pain is one of the most well-known symptoms of arthritis, but muscle pain is common, too. The joints hurt because of the inflammation and damage that they’re experiencing, but the muscles are trying to support those joints. Over extension and working too hard to compensate for joint pain and problems can cause those muscles to cramp and to experience trauma of their own. Massage can help immensely because it relaxes those muscles and it can improve the flow of blood and joint fluid within the joints. Your senior’s doctor may also recommend exercise to strengthen those muscles.

Improving Joint Swelling
Very often arthritic joints tend to swell. This happens because of the inflammation in the area. Your senior may also notice that she’s experiencing heat in those joints. Ice can help to reduce the inflammation and relieve the heating her joints are experiencing. Choosing a diet that combats inflammation may also help with swelling, but you should talk to your senior’s doctor before changing her diet. Your senior may notice that swelling is worse after certain activities or when she first wakes up in the morning. Rest can help when the swelling gets extreme, as can alternating ice and heat.

Improving Stiffness and Trouble Moving
There may be sometimes when your elderly family member’s joints don’t really hurt and they’re not swollen, but she still experiences stiffness when she tries to move. This can be frustrating and uncomfortable, even if it’s not extreme pain as with other symptoms. Having enough trouble moving can even keep your senior from exercising, which ironically is something that can help tremendously with the stiffness alone. Stretching can also help because it’s gentle and helps to warm up the muscles and ligaments around the joints.

Your senior’s doctor can help her to find solutions that fit her specific situation with managing arthritis pain and stiffness. It might also help to hire elder care providers to assist your senior when she’s having a not so great day with arthritis pain and swelling.

Excerpt: Arthritis is extremely painful and can limit your elderly family member’s quality of life. But these solutions can help.

If you or an aging loved one are considering Elder Care in Faith,NC,  contact the caring professionals at Tender Hearted Home Care today. Call us at (704) 207-0265.