Osteoarthritis is one of the most painful and crippling
autoimmune diseases to affect the joints. It is a condition that affects the
articular cartilage and the subchondral bones. Symptoms of this disease include
joint pain, tenderness, stiffness, locking, and at times, effusion. In this
condition, there is progressive loss of cartilage due to which the bone may be
exposed and eventually damaged. It is the most common type of arthritis and is
one of the leading causes of chronic disability across the globe. Since it is
an autoimmune disease, there is no fixed cure for it. Therefore, it is better
to try natural measures to relieve the pain as mentioned below.
Massage Therapy
One of the most popular natural pain relief methods is
massage therapy. This is performed by massage therapists who focus on
superficial layers of the muscles while using massage oil or lotion. This helps
relieve the muscle tension and pain, increase the flexibility and mobility, and
clear the lactic acid and other accumulated waste in the body. All this
eventually leads to a reduction in the pain and stiffness in muscles and joints
of the body.
One of the most important massage therapy benefits is that it
also prevents muscle spasms in other parts of the body. It boosts circulation
in the affected joint, which decreases joint stiffness and also promotes
cartilage repair. This achieved by massaging the muscles surrounding the
affected joint.
Yoga
Yoga is a safe and effective way of dealing with the pain associated with osteoarthritis. The movements of yoga increase the strength,
flexibility, and balance of a person. However, consult your doctor before you
start this therapy since he may guide you regarding the yoga exercises and
poses that are appropriate to your condition.
Acupuncture
Another simple measure for natural pain relief is
acupuncture. The World Health Organisation has managed to single out forty
different conditions that can be treated with the help of acupuncture. One of
those diseases listed was osteoarthritis. This therapy involves the insertion
of hair thin needles into specific points of the body known as acupoints. One
of the benefits of acupuncture is that it helps balance the flow of energy in
the body. Certain studies have also reportedly shown that this helps release
natural pain relieving substances in the body, like endorphins and serotonin.
Besides the aforementioned measures, rather than taking pain
killers, people can always try taking certain supplements, like chondroitin sulphate
and glucosamine to help deal with the pain. Although there is no proper cure
for osteoarthritis, one can always make a few lifestyle changes to ensure that
the person lives a long and relatively pain free life.
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