How to Relieve Arthritis: A Summary of Popular Websites

                            

Easing Arthritis  Pain by Weight Loss, 

Diet, & Exercise

Revised October 31, 2015

Evelyn Smith

M. S. in Library Science (2012) University of North Texas

Active senior adults can relieve arthritis pain by exercising aerobically three or fours times a week for thirty minutes and losing excess weight along with making changes in their diets.  Aerobic exercise doesn't need to be that strenuous; for example, it might include taking brisk walks, square and ballroom dancing, and water aerobics.

 

 

Clinical trials, however, also reveal that including fish or fish oil supplements in one's diet as well as another staple of a Mediterranean-style diet, olive oil, might help ease arthritis pain. Also, putting red grapes, cranberries, peanuts, tea, soy, avocados, onions, and artichokes on the menu could possibly help. In the meanwhile, arthritis sufferers shouldn't drink sugary sodas.  While some patients do find that glucosamine and chondroitin help relieve arthritis pain, most scientific studies, however, indicate that they don’t provide much relief over an extended period of time.

 

Once an older adult enters a nursing home unfortunately the options for treating arthritis pain are for the most part limited to a change in diet,  Passive Range of Motion exercises, and anti-inflammatory medication.  Family members may additionally request that the patient be put on a low-calorie diet.

 

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Online Arthritis Advice

Both diet and exercise influence the incidence of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Biscardi, M. (2011, May 12).  Glucosamine & chondroitin for arthritis. Livestrong. Retrieved from http://www.livestrong.com/article/440235-glucosamine-chondroitin-for-arthritis/

Although glucosamine and chondroitin are marketed as a treatment for arthritis pain and stiffness, research on their effectiveness is inconclusive (Biscardi, 2011, para. 1).  Studies have shown that while these ingredients may provide pain relief on a short-term basis, then don’t have any significant effect over a two-year-period (Biscardi, 2011, para. 3 & 6).
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Di Giuseppe, D, Crippa, A, and Orsini, N, et al.  (2014, September 30). Fish consumption and risk of rheumatoid arthritis: a dose-response meta-analysis.  Arthritis Research & Therapy. 16(5), 446. (Full text).  doi: 10.1186/s13075-014-0446-8.  Retrieved from http://www.arthritis-research.com/content/pdf/s13075-014-0446-8.pdf
 

A meta-analysis of studies available via Medline and EMBASE through December 2013 summarizing the association between fish consumption and the risk of rheumatoid arthritis reveals that the incidence of rheumatoid arthritis was 20 to 24 percent lower if the individual consumed from one to three servings per week of omega-3 fatty fish.
 

Eustice, C. (2012, June 11).  Arthritis treatment options.  About.com. Arthritis & Joint Conditions.  Retrieved from http://arthritis.about.com/od/arthritistreatments/a/treatment.htm
 

Treatment goals should 1) decrease symptoms, 2) slow the onset of arthritis, 3) inhibit or minimize joint damage and deformities, 4) sustain joint function, 5) preserve range of mobility (Eustice, 2012, para. 7).  Alternative treatments include acupuncture, biofeedback chiropractic procedures magnets, massage, meditation, tai chi, yoga, fish-oil supplements, glucosamine chondroitin, and the dietary supplement MSM or Methylsulfonylmethane (Eustice, 2012, para. 9), but a nutritious diet and regular aerobic exercise can also decrease symptoms (Eustice, 2012, para. 11 & 12).
 

------. (2013).  Exercise is essential for arthritis.  About.com. Retrieved from http://arthritis.about.com/cs/exercise/a/exercisetreat.htm
 

Keeping the joints moving strengthens surrounding muscle, helps support joints, and transports nutrients to and waste products from cartilage. Thus, range of motion exercise uses gentle stretching to move each joint as far as its normal maximum range would ordinarily grow.  
 

Activities of Daily Living are not a substitute for range of motion exercises that build muscle strength because Isometric exercises tighten muscles without moving joints while isotonic exercises strengthen muscles by moving them (Eustice, 2013, p. 1).  To improve cardio-vascular fitness, arthritis sufferers, including as much as possible those confined to a nursing home, need to exercise aerobically for 20 to 30 minutes at least three days per week.  Not only will this exercise improve strength and mental capacities, but it will also improve arthritis symptoms (Eustice, 2013, p. 1).  Eustice thus urges readers to exercise daily, build up time spent exercising while not over-doing it, set realistic goals, and move in a smooth, steady rhythm, alternating rest with activity (Eustice, 2013, p. 2).
 

Harding, A. (2013).  I3 natural remedies for arthritis.  Health Media Ventures.  Retrieved from http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20443624,00.html
 

Weight loss and exercise provide verified results while acupuncture doesn’t work for everyone.  Glucosamine and chondroitin are of dubious value, but including certain foods in the diet, such as avocados, soybeans, ginger, and fish oil, might provide some relief.  Additional treatments include topical creams like Capsaicin, impulse transmitting chemicals, electro-stimulation, and chiropractic treatment for muscle spasms, physical therapy, and assistive devices (para. 1-13).

 

Water aerobics can be a fun way to

ease & possibly prevent arthritic pain.

Hu, Y., Costenbader, K. H., and Gao, X. et al.  (2014, September).  Sugar-sweetened soda consumption and risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis in women. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 100(3), 959-67.  doi: 10.3945/ajcn.114.086918.  [Abstract only]. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25030783

After following 79,570 women from the Nurses’ Health Study, originally conducted from 1980-2008 and from 1991-2009, and soliciting information about the consumption of regular colas, caffeine-free colas, researchers documented 857 incident cases of rheumatoid arthritis and found that those women who consumed a single serving of sugar-sweetened soda daily had a 65 percent increased risk of developing arthritis compared with those who consumed no-sugar-sweetened sodas  or consumed less than one serving per month of sugar-sweetened sodas.  Diet-soda, however, did not significantly increase the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. 

Jacobs, Carole. (2015, August 6).  How to prevent rheumatoid arthritis.  Lifescript.  Retrieved from http://www.lifescript.com/health/centers/rheumatoid_arthritis/articles/how_to_prevent_symptoms_of_rheumatoid_arthritis.aspx

Women are three times more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis than men.  Moreover, the percentage of women suffering arthritis is increasing—a trend that has led researchers to conclude that over-all health influences the onset of rheumatoid arthritis (Jacobs, 2015, August 6, p. 1). 

1. Get tested early:  Low estrogen-level birth control pills may be increasing the incidence of rheumatoid arthritis;
2. Increase estrogen levels: Consider hormone replace therapy.
3. Don’t smoke: Long-term smokers are twice as likely to suffer from rheumatoid arthritis as individuals who don’t smoke.  Thus, smokers should ask their physician about nicotine replacement therapy;
4. Boost vitamin D levels:  Spend some time out in the sun, consume foods high in Vitamin D, or take a Vitamin D supplement;
5. Limit caffeine:  Limit caffeine consumption to less than three cups of coffee daily;
6. Eat more [cold-water] fish [along with olive oil and nuts]: Consume between one to three servings of broiled, grilled, or baked omega-3 fatty acid fish weekly.
7. Prevent viral infections:  Wash the hands “frequently and thoroughly”
8. Avoid environmental toxins:  Insecticides and exhaust fumes, for example, increase inflammation levels.  To combat cell damage, take a  glutathione supplement and regularly include fruits like strawberries and blueberries that are rich in antioxidants.

         (Jacobs, 2015, August 6, p. 2-9)

Khanna, D., Sethi, G., Ahn, K. S., et al. (2007).  Current Opinions in Pharmacology, 7(3), 344-51.  Natural products as a gold mine for arthritis treatment. [Abstract only].  Retrieved from  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17475558

Numerous compounds derived from plants can potentially lessen arthritic  inflammation without side effects, including curcumin (tumereric), resveratrol (red grapes, cranberries and peanuts), tea polyphenols, genistein (soy), quercetin (onions), silymarin (artichoke).

 

 Kremer, J. M., Lawrence, D. A., Petrillo, G. F., et al.  (1995, August). Effects of high-dose fish oil on rheumatoid arthritis after stopping nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs. Clinical and immune correlates.  Arthritis and Rheumatism, 38(8), 1107-14.  [Abstract only].  Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7639807

In  a double-blind, placebo-controlled study composed of 66 patients, those participants taking 130 milligrams of omega 3 fatty acids daily experienced significant decreases in  tender joints, morning stiffness and physician-evaluated pain compared to those taking a corn oil placebo.  Some patients taking fish oil supplements should be able to discontinue NSAID’s without enduring any flare-ups of arthritis.

Get Moving!  Dance your arthritis pain away.

Mann, D. (2010, Sep. 16).  Study: Glucosamine, chondroitin no help for arthritis.  WebMD.  Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/osteoarthritis/news/20100916/study-glucosamine-chondroitin-no-help-for-arthritis

An analysis of ten different studies concludes that glucosamine and chondroitin ordinarily don’t relieve hip or knee pain caused by osteoarthritis, nor do they do much for slowing the loss of cartilage (Mann, 2010, para. 1 & 2).  A small subset of study participants, however, found some relief by taking combined supplements (Mann, 2010, para. 3).

Shiel, W. C. (2013).  Arthritis.  MedicineNet.com   Retrieved from http://www.medicinenet.com/arthritis/article.htm
 

Glucosamine and chondroitin proved helpful to some sufferers of arthritis during a two-month-trial while fish oil has some anti-inflammatory properties.  Obesity is also a risk factor for arthritis, particularly in osteoarthritis of the knee (Shiel, 2013, p. 5). Anti-inflammatory drugs relieve arthritis with fewer side effects than steroids (Shiel, 2013, p. 6) while exercise doesn’t aggravate arthritis when performed at levels that don’t cause pain, so walking stationary cycling, and light weight training can keep arthritis at bay (Shiel, 2013, p. 7).

Siegfried, D. R. (2013).  Do it yourself arthritis pain relief.  Arthritis Today.  Retrieved from http://www.arthritistoday.org/treatments/self-treatments/do-it-yourself-pain-relief.php
 

Individuals with fibromyalgia can treat themselves by participating in strength-training exercises for the upper and lower body.  Siegfried prescription consists of five-minutes of warm-up exercises, 30 minutes of an aerobic activity, such as walking, and a five-minute cool-down period (2013, p. 1).  Fibromyalgia sufferers can also enhance the benefits of this exercise by educating themselves on the causes and treatments of fibromyalgia, and they can also achieve some pain relief with acupuncture and massage (Siegfried, 2013, p. 2). 
 

Silva, S., Sepodes, B., & Rocha, J., et al.  (2015, April). Protective effects of hydroxytyrosol-supplemented refined olive oil in animal models of acute inflammation and rheumatoid arthritis.  The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 26(4), 360-8.  doi: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2014.11.011. [Abstract only].  Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25620693
 

After inducing rheumatoid arthritis in male Wistar rats and administering them hydroxytyrosol-supplemented refined olive oils by gauge from day 23 to day 35 of the study, researchers found that a treatment of 5 milligrams dosage “significantly decreased paw edema, histological damage, cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase expression, and markedly reduced the degree of bone resorption, soft tissue swelling and osteophyte formation, improving articular function in treated animals.”  Accordingly, the researchers posited that the supplementation of refined olive oil with hydroxytyrosol may reduce chronic rheumatoid arthritis inflammation.

 
Worth, Tammy. (2015).  10 ways to ease rheumatoid arthritis.  Health.  Retrieved from http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20415762,00.html
 

1. Protect your joints: Slide instead of lift heavy objects and use other body parts rather than joints to perform some activities of daily living.
2. Get exercise:  Resolve to get in at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise three days per week.
3. Stretch it out:  A physical therapist can recommend stretching exercises.
4. Give it a rest:  Avoid fatigue while also shunning a sedentary lifestyle.
5. Take a warm bath or shower:  Moist heat eases arthritis pain.
6. Try hot wax:  This proven sports medicine therapy eases joint pain in the hands and feet.
7. Try a cane:  Using a cane takes up to 20 percent of body weight off the legs, hips, and ankles.
8. Lose weight:  Being overweight stresses weight-bearing joints.
9. Use special tools:  Using ergonomic can openers, eating utensils, and pens as well as larger drawer pulls can help with daily tasks.
10. Plan carefully:  Break chores like weeding a garden into sections and exercise throughout the day in small increments rather than exercising all at once.

    (Worth, 2015, p. 1-12)
 

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Tai Chi Helps Relieve Osteoarthritis and Other Chronic Conditions

Check to see if your local Y or community center offers a tai-chi class.

Chen, Y.W., Hunt, M. A., and Campbell K.L., et al.  (2015, September 17).  The effect of Tai Chi on four chronic conditions--cancer, osteoarthritis, heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a systematic review and meta-analyses. British Journal of Sports Medicine. pii: bjsports-2014-094388. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2014-094388. [Epub ahead of print].  [Abstract only].  Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26383108

Analyzing four databases (Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, and SPORTDiscus), reviewers found 33 studies on which to perform meta-analyses that showed that performing Tai Chi “improved or showed a tendency to improve physical outcomes for individuals diagnosed with “most or all four” chronic medical conditions--cancer, osteoarthritis, heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as well as improving the pain and stiffness of osteoarthritis.
 

Tai Chi: A gentle way to fight stress. (2015, June 25). Healthy Lifestyle.  Stress Management. Mayo Clinic.  Retrieved from  http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/tai-chi/art-20045184
 

Tai chi (TIE-CHEE), what was originally a form of self-defense, has evolved into an exercise that can reduce stress and relieve a variety of health problems (Tai chi, 2015, June 25, para. 1).

 

Individuals performing tai chi, or tai chi chuan, stretch their bodies in a self-paced, “slow, focused manner” while also breathing deeply as each posture “flows into the next” (Tai chi, 2015, June 25, para. 2-3).  While some forms of tai chi emphasize self-defense, others concentrate on maintaining health (Tai chi, 2015, June 25, para. 4).

 

Because tai chi is a low impact exercise that puts “minimal stress” on the muscles and joints, it’s a safe exercise for all ages and fitness levels (Tai chi, 2015, June 25, para. 5). Additionally, it requires no special equipment (Tai chi, 2015, June 25, para. 6). However, pregnant women and individuals with joint problems, back pain, fractures, or severe osteoporosis or a hernia should consult their physician before beginning their practice of tai chi since they may need to avoid some tai chi postures (Tai chi, 2015, June 25, para. 7). 

Consult your physician if you need help with arthritis pain. After all, this blog only offers supplementary advice that may--or may not--help ease arthritis pain. Meanwhile, divide your treatment between diet and exercise cures.