Essential Self-Care for Arthritis

If you have arthritis, taking your medication and following your doctor's recommendations are essential. But self-care can be just as important in your daily and long-term management of the disease.

Other important parts of treatment include exercise, rest and relaxation, a healthy diet, and instruction on how to use your joints and ways to conserve energy (no wasted motion).

The following medical and self-care steps can make living with arthritis easier and less painful.

Medical essentials

• See your doctor and get an accurate diagnosis. The earlier an accurate diagnosis is made and proper treatment started, the better. Since there are many types of arthritis, a proper diagnosis is essential to starting the right treatment.

• See an ophthalmologist for a complete eye exam, or discuss the need for an eye exam with your physician, if you have a type of arthritis other than osteoarthritis. Many of the inflammatory types of arthritis are associated with eye disease.

• Update your medications. If you've been taking the same arthritis medications for years, ask your doctor if any of the newer drugs have fewer side effects or provide greater pain relief than your current regimen.

• Take your medication as prescribed. If you're tempted to stop taking your medication because you believe it's not working or causing side effects, call your doctor first. Some medications should not be abruptly stopped. Some medications take awhile to work or for the side effects to stop.

There are many types of arthritis. Experienced health care providers, physical therapists, and occupational therapists can recommend exercises that are particularly helpful for a specific type of arthritis.

Movement musts

Three types of exercise are best for people with arthritis, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS):

• Range of motion. This type of exercise helps maintain normal joint movement, relieve stress and increases flexibility.

• Strengthening. This type of exercise helps keep or increase muscle strength. Strong muscles support and protect the joints.

• Aerobic or endurance. This type of exercise improves cardiovascular fitness, helps control weight and improves overall function. It may also help reduce inflammation in some joints.

Here are some ideas for exercising with arthritis:

• Stay on the move. Regular exercise helps relieve and prevent arthritis pain. An effective program can help stabilize a weak or damaged joint and promote flexibility, which can reduce pain and stiffness. Be sure to check with your doctor before starting an exercise program.

• Warm up before working out. Start slowly and get up to speed only after your muscles and joints have had at least five minutes of prep time.

• Stretch it out. Warm up first by walking or taking a hot shower, then stretch. Stretching helps keep joints and muscles flexible, relieves stress and can help you maintain your daily activities.

• Take the plunge. Exercising in water can build strength and increase range of motion, and the water's buoyancy reduces wear and tear on sore joints. Check your local YMCA or call the Arthritis Foundation for an aquatic exercise program in your area.

• Avoid excess stress on your joints. Use larger or stronger joints to carry things. Shop for devices that can make tasks at home and work easier.

• Increase your range. Range-of-motion exercises (such as stretching) are a good way to keep your muscles and ligaments flexible and strong.

• Take a walk. Choose your favorite spots (indoors and out) and make plans to walk around them at least once a week. Walking is the ideal exercise for most people with arthritis. It burns calories, strengthens muscles and builds denser bones, all without jarring fragile joints.

• Monitor how you feel after exercise. If your joints hurt two hours after a workout, you're doing too much and need to reduce the length or intensity of your workout.