Are sleepless nights due to joint pain affecting your life? If you’re grappling with limited mobility and suspect osteoarthritis as the culprit, there’s more hope than you might think. Beyond conventional approaches like medication and physical therapy, exploring natural treatments and home remedies can offer relief from the pain and stiffness associated with osteoarthritis. This article provides insights into alternative methods, empowering you with options to enhance your well-being and regain control over your life. Discover practical strategies to manage osteoarthritis and improve your overall quality of life.
What Is Osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis, the prevalent form of arthritis, stands as a leading cause of global pain and disability. Rooted in the Greek words for ‘bone,’ ‘joint,’ and ‘inflammation,’ osteoarthritis manifests as a clinical syndrome marked by joint pain and varying degrees of functional limitation, hindering day-to-day activities. The condition involves bone remodeling near affected joints and instigates inflammation, impacting overall health, mood, and sleep. Primarily afflicting the knee, hip, hand, and spine, osteoarthritis significantly diminishes the quality of life for those affected. Understanding its impact on various aspects of well-being is crucial in developing effective strategies for management and relief. (1)
Causes Of Osteoarthritis
Causes Of OsteoarthritisOsteoarthritis is identified by the localized breakage and the loss of ‘joint cartilage‘ or ‘articular cartilage,’ which works as a structural component of the body. Being the connective tissue at the end of the bones, it allows for the smooth movement of bones by separating and cushioning the joints. If cartilage is lost, the bones start rubbing against each other, and the joints get irritated. (2) This leads to inflammation, the hardening of bones beneath the cartilage, and the growth of bones around the joints. Some of the most common underlying causes of this non-inflammatory arthritis are heredity, physical and emotional stress, dietary insufficiencies, hormonal imbalance, prolonged low-grade inflammation, traumas beyond the ability of the body to repair, structural transformation in joints (formation of cysts and bony spurs), etc.
Symptoms Of Osteoarthritis
Though osteoarthritis can affect the joints in any part of the body, it mainly affects the hands, knees, hips, back, and neck. Common symptoms of the condition include acute pain and extreme discomfort in joints, increased pain in the evening, morning stiffness (improves with movement), swelling and tenderness in joints with each use, sounds (clicking or cracking) in joints on movement, worsening of pain with the overuse of joints, bony lumps in finger joints, loss of joint flexibility, and reduced mobility. (3)
Natural Treatments For Osteoarthritis
The symptoms of osteoarthritis can be minimized by opting for several complementary healing methods and making simple lifestyle changes. Check out what can be done to handle the condition naturally. (4) (5)
1. Practice Restorative Exercises
No matter how much it hurts, exercise is essential to keep your joints moving and improve your pain. As your cartilage does not have enough blood circulation, you must move it gently to squeeze the debris out and help it absorb nutrients. When you start practicing gentle restorative exercises like walking, yoga, tai chi, massaging, etc., you strengthen your muscles to provide proper support and protection to your affected joints. Moreover, the practice keeps the joints flexible, restores their expected functionalities, and improves mobility by reducing pain.
2. Apply Hot Or Cold Packs
Both hot and cold compresses are proven beneficial in minimizing the impact of joint pain and inflammation in osteoarthritis patients. Heat lowers pain and stiffness, while cold reduces swelling. A warm or cold towel can be used to compress for this purpose. In addition, taking an ice bath or trying an infrared sauna twice every week can reduce muscle pain or spasms surrounding the joints.
3. Maintain A Healthy Weight
Managing a healthy body weight is crucial for mitigating osteoarthritis symptoms. Excess body weight strains weight-bearing joints like the spine, knees, hips, and feet. Gradual weight loss through portion control and increased calorie expenditure can enhance joint function. Even a modest weight reduction contributes significantly to improved collaborative functionality. Embrace an incremental, sustainable approach to weight loss to alleviate the impact on your joints and enhance overall well-being.
4. Follow A Balanced Diet
Studies have proved that a well-balanced diet rich in different nutrients can help you feel better. So make sure that your diet contains plenty of whole grains, leafy greens, fresh vegetables (broccoli, avocado, etc.), citrus fruits rich in vitamin C, low-fat dairy loaded with calcium and vitamin D, lean meat (turkey and pork tenderloin), fish whole of omega-3 fatty acids (tuna, salmon, mackerel), plant-based oils (avocado oil, olive oil, safflower oil, canola oil, walnut oil), nuts, and so on.
While eating a balanced diet, you should also avoid certain foods like rice, white bread, sugar, artificial sweetener, salt, saturated and trans fat, alcohol, etc. that raise inflammation in the body.
5. Get Adequate Sleep Daily
A good night’s sleep is considered vital for dealing with the stress and pain of osteoarthritis. If you feel uncomfortable while sleeping due to aches or stiffness, try using pillows under the painful joints to take the pressure off them. Going to bed at the same time daily is also recommended.
6. Wear Electric Gloves
Using electric gloves can help you cope with the stiffness and pain of osteoarthritis in the bed. They properly support your bones while heating the tissue and encouraging blood circulation.
7. Use Warm Blankets
Watch out for your sleep, and do not expose your joints, especially in winter. Keeping them covered by a warm blanket will somewhat relieve the pain. Opt for electric blankets for better warmth if ordinary blankets are not good enough.
Home Remedies For Osteoarthritis
Home remedies for problems like osteoarthritis are also much safer than traditional medicines as they only have fewer side effects. Here are some of those remedies that you can try at home.
8. Antioxidants
Antioxidant-rich foods can reduce accelerated joint damage in osteoarthritis patients by stopping cartilage degradation. Some of the best sources of antioxidants are colorful veggies, berries, green tea, aloe vera juice, citrus fruits, tomatoes, guava, broccoli, blackcurrants, parsley, pawpaw, brussels sprouts, and non-denatured whey protein powder.
9. Anti-Inflammatory Spices
Cooking with potent anti-inflammatory spices, such as ginger, turmeric, cayenne pepper, etc., can reduce pain, inflammation, and stiffness associated with osteoarthritis.
10. Gut-Healing Foods
Your entire body will suffer low-grade inflammation if you suffer from a gut imbalance. Hence, stop gorging on trans fats, processed sugar, and synthetic additives that can damage your gut even more. Also, start having foods that can heal your gut and promote your health. These include fermented items (sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha), probiotics, and butter.
11. Cartilage-Building Foods
Try to include some natural sources of collagen in your diet. For example, bone broth is a direct collagen source and comprises many vital vitamins and minerals. Daily consumption of 2 cups of homemade bone broth can also reduce inflammation and increase joint mobility by providing anti-inflammatory substances like chondroitin and glucosamine to your body. Cruciferous vegetables, like cabbage, broccoli, kale, etc., are also helpful in building healthy joints when steamed or lightly cooked.
Tips
- Keep a tab on the timings of your medicine and have them without fail.
- Get your tests done regularly to monitor your health and ensure everything is fine.
- Keep a doctor-recommended topical pain-relieving cream handy.
- Imbibe a positive attitude and focus on things that keep you happy.
Also Read – Keep Osteoporosis At Bay With These Natural And Ayurvedic Remedies
Summary
Are you suffering from sleep-disrupting joint pain, possibly due to osteoarthritis? This article explores natural remedies and home strategies for relief. Osteoarthritis, characterized by joint pain and functional limitations, affects the knee, hip, hand, and spine, impacting overall well-being. Causes include localized cartilage loss, influenced by heredity, stress, dietary factors, and more. Natural treatments involve restorative exercises, hot/cold packs, weight management, a balanced diet, adequate sleep, and more. Additionally, home remedies include antioxidants, anti-inflammatory spices, gut-healing foods, and cartilage-building options. Embrace these approaches to alleviate osteoarthritis symptoms and enhance your quality of life.
References:
- “Osteoarthritis” – clevelandclinic.org
- “Osteoarthritis” – mayoclinic.org
- “Osteoarthritis Health Center” – webmd.com
- “Natural Home Remedies for Osteoarthritis: What Works?” – healthline.com
- “Natural treatments for osteoarthritis” – ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
