An estimated 46 million people suffer from the aches and pains of arthritis on a daily basis – and it looks like things are only going to get worse.  The CDC is estimating that by the year 2030, more than 67 million people are going to be diagnosed with this painful condition.

For those who are suffering now, relief is here.

Try Hot and Cold

You may already utilize hot and cold techniques when you are in pain, but when it comes to arthritis pain, there’s nothing that works more quickly or more efficiently than applying different temperatures to the afflicted joints.

The idea behind these two relief techniques is that when you apply heat to an affected area, it can help the muscles and other connective tissue to relax and to release tension.  This also reduces the blood flow to the area as your body does not need to warm that body any more with excessive blood circulation.

On the other hand, when you apply cold to an area, you are helping to numb the pain and the aches of that part of your body.  And since you are cooling that part of your body, it actually increases the blood flow to the area as your body responds to an upset in the normal temperature.

There are a number of different ways you can apply heat to a particular joint area or to your body as a whole:

• Warm baths and showers
  By allowing the body to soak or to be drenched in very warm to hot water, you will begin to feel instant relief.  This is especially helpful first thing in the morning when your joints are often at their stiffest and most achy.

• Jacuzzi tubs
  If you can get in and out of a whirlpool sort of bath, they can be quite helpful and relaxing.  Not only are you immersed in hot water, but the jets of the bath can help to knead away any other tension in your body that might contribute to your arthritis pain.

• Heating pads
  If you have a specific area that you would like to warm up, heating pads are easy to plug in and use anywhere.  With different settings, you can customize your heat level to your pain level.

• Hot water bottles
  Akin to heating pads, these hot water bottles can be placed over your clothing and near the affected area to help control the pain and stiffness.

• Warm clothing
  To help keep your body warm and relaxed during the day, it can help to wear layers of clothing to hold in body heat.  If this begins to be uncomfortable, you can easily remove these layers.

• Warm bed sheets
  If you want to make your night time pain easier to handle, warm sheets like flannel sheets can help retain body heat.

Things to keep in mind when you use heat:

• Do not use heat therapy for more than 30 minutes at a time.
• Talk with your doctor if you are on any medications.
• Make sure your skin is clean and dry

For some, the application of cold works better to help numb excessive pain as well as to help reduce swelling around the joints, which can also lead to pain.

Here are some ways you can add cold treatments to your life:

• Use regular ice packs and gel packs
  These first aid treatments can also work well when placed inside a towel and then put on the affected area.

• Try bags of frozen vegetables
  If you don’t have an ice pack around, a back of frozen peas will work just as well.

• Use cold water tubs
  Instead of immersing your entire body in an icy bath, dip the affected body part into cooler water.

Things to keep in mind when you use cold:

• Do not use cold treatments for more than 30 minutes at a time.
• Make sure your skin is clean and unbroken
• Never apply cold directly to the skin.  Always use a towel or some other item as a barrier.

With either heat or cold therapy, you need to make sure you check your skin afterwards to make sure it’s still healthy.  If you notice any purpling of your skin that does not go away, or redness that does not diminish, you may need to talk to your doctor about a potential injury.

Massage Away Your Stiffness and Pain

Most people don’t need to be told twice to go get a massage, so if you’ve been debating it for your arthritis pain, now’s as good a time as any to get on a massage therapist’s table.

Massage involves the manipulation of the muscles and connective tissues of the body.  With direct pressure and movement of these areas, the patient’s body can relax and they can release pain.

Today, there are a number of different kinds of massage from which to choose:

• Acupressure and shiatsu
  Just like in acupuncture, this massage-like practice uses finger pressure to stimulate certain areas of the body to improve the energy flow and thus reduce pain.

• Deep tissue massage
  By digging into the muscles of the body, a deep tissue massage will help the body release tension.  But keep in mind that this is a very intense massage that often can leave a patient sore in the beginning.

• Reflexology
  By simply rubbing certain parts of the body, it is thought the practitioner can affect other parts of the body, eliminating aches and pains in some patients.  This is the most gentle of the massage practices, so it’s good for those who are newer or who are more sensitive.

• Swedish massage
  While you might not know it by this name, the Swedish massage is the most common method of massage, utilizing long strokes on the skin to help reduce pain and tension.

You may find other types of massage in your local area as well, so make sure you understand what it might entail before you setup your first appointment.

Massage can be used as an instant relief technique when you have the ability to go to a massage therapist when you are feeling pain.  Or you can teach your partner or a friend or family member to massage certain parts of your body.

But most arthritis sufferers find that regular massage therapy with a licensed massage therapist offers the most relief.  Going for weekly massages seems to not only loosen the muscles and joints, but also can improve flexibility and range of motion.

Relaxation Techniques to Soothe Body and Mind

A stiff body is often a sign of a ‘stiff’ mind, it’s thought.  When we have stressful thoughts and ideas, we can often project this stress into our bodies in the form of muscle tension – not good for those who have troubles with arthritis.

To help release your mind’s anxiety and your body’s tension, it can help to have a few relaxation techniques on hand for instant relief.

Deep belly breathing

Most of us breathe shallowly when we are stressed.  Of course, we don’t realize it, but it’s affecting the way our bodies can and can not relax.  When we take shallow breaths, we aren’t getting as much oxygen into our bodies and into our bloodstream as possible.

This hinders our body’s ability to release tension.  To relearn how to breathe deeply, here are the steps you need to take.

• Sit in a comfortable position with your back straight and your chin up.
• Take one hand and place it on your chest.
• Take the other hand and place it on your stomach.
• Try to take breaths that allow the hand on your stomach to rise and to fall.  It might feel a little weird to move your stomach in and out, but it gets easier with time.
• Continue to practice this movement until it becomes second nature.

You can practice this deeper breathing no matter where you are and what you’re doing. In time, you will begin to breathe this deeply all the time, keeping your body as loose and as limber as possible.

Daydreaming

Sometimes relaxation is as easy as reminding yourself of a time when you were feeling less tense.  Daydreaming is a simple way for you to remind your inner self of a moment when you weren’t feeling any pain.

Simply close your eyes and think about a lovely place you have visited on vacation.  Try to think about all of the senses and what they detected when you were there.  Do things that you used to do.

Or if you don’t have any beautiful vacation spots in your memory, start thinking of a tropical paradise of your own design.  The key with daydreaming is simply to let go of the cares of the world and to start thinking about a serene setting.

Other possible daydreams include:

• An exciting sporting experience
• Getting on a TV show
• Becoming rich

For the benefit of your arthritis pain, you owe it to yourself to daydream a little bit.

Meditation

Meditation seems to have gotten a bad reputation as something that was for woo-woo New Age people.  But while the New Age craze might have popularized meditation, it’s actually a practice that has been around for centuries.

Like daydreaming, you take your mind to a place where there is no pain and no stiffness.  And as you practice doing so, you can teach your mind to be this still and calm all the time.

Here is a simple way to meditate:

• Find a comfortable spot to sit (laying down often leads to a nap).
• Close your eyes and think about how you are breathing.
• Simply count your inhalation and then your exhalation.  Breathe in One.  Breathe out Two. Continue to count to yourself in this way.

All you are doing is focusing on your breaths, in and out.  Whenever another thought comes into your mind, accept that it’s there and then try to release it in order to empty your mind once more.

Just 10 minutes a day has been shown to not only help arthritis sufferers reduce pain, but meditation also helps to strengthen the immune system and lower anxiety levels.

Choosing to become a bit more relaxed will help you and your body.  You can choose to try all of these techniques or just some – something is better than nothing, after all.