Guest post by Rainah Jarae.
Almost a quarter of all adults in the U.S. suffer from arthritis. This potentially debilitating disease causes tenderness, pain, swelling, and stiffness in one or more joints, which can reduce one’s mobility and weaken the body. In fact, the symptoms of arthritis can be so severe that it can affect an individual’s life and overall well being — so much so that it has been regarded as a leading cause of work disability in the country.
Living with arthritis isn’t easy, as it’s often difficult to anticipate the intensity of the symptoms on any given day. For this reason, those who have arthritis greatly struggle with effectively managing and coping with their condition.
Try to stay active
When you have arthritis and your joints are hurting, you’re unlikely to dive headfirst into strenuous exercise or lugging around heavy objects. However, staying active has a number of health benefits for arthritis sufferers. Aside from increasing your strength and flexibility, exercising can also keep fatigue at bay and minimize joint pain. In addition, moving around can also reduce your risk of developing chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease. Of course, it’s important for you to gauge your body and subsequently adjust your activity level depending on how painful or exhausting your arthritis symptoms are.
Practice mindfulness meditation when you can
Mindfulness typically involves entering a mental state where one focuses all their attention on the present, and letting go of intrusive and negative thoughts. When combined with meditation, mindfulness can help you overcome—and even reduce—arthritis pain. This is because this activity forces you to relax your body and calm yourself through breathing and mind-focusing exercises. What’s great about mindfulness meditation is that it doesn’t require any props or preparation—all you really need is free time, a comfortable area to sit in, and an open mind.
Quantum healing is an innovative therapeutic discipline, in which mindfulness plays a central role. GIOSTAR Chicago Partner Shelly Sood spoke with two experts in this field, and the benefits of this holistic approach to mind, body, and soul health. Click here to watch their interview.
Talk to your healthcare provider
To better manage your arthritis symptoms, it’s important to work with a healthcare provider who you trust. Doing this allows you to receive an accurate diagnosis and prevent the disease from getting worse. If you have joint pain and other mild symptoms, you can seek out adult-gerontology nurse practitioners who provide first-rate care for adults of varying ages. They also work in private practices, primary care offices, nursing homes, and other clinical settings, making them accessible for older adults—the age group that is more at risk of developing arthritis. If your initial diagnosis is not clear-cut, your primary health provider may refer you to a physician who specializes in rheumatology. Rheumatologists are equipped with training and education that allows them to treat arthritis patients with complex cases and debilitating symptoms.
Consider mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy
Traditionally, rheumatoid arthritis is treated by using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), slow-acting anti-rheumatic drugs, andhormone replacements. Whilethese approaches may provide temporary, symptomatic relief, they also have high disease recurrence rates and may cause side effects after long-term use. Thankfully, there are alternative treatments that have shown a great deal of promise in managing arthritis. This includes mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy, which is a regenerative treatment that’s proven beneficial in skeletal tissue repair.
GIOSTAR has helped numerous patients suffering from arthritis, including several baseball players and the former president of NBC Universal, Vince Manze. Learn more about their stories on our testimonials page.
A recent study shows that MSC therapy has provided relief and significantly improved the quality of life of arthritis patients. However, it is still important to do your due diligence to figure out if MSC therapy is right for you. To widen your knowledge on stem cell therapy, do read our post on the factors that you should consider before pursuing stem cell therapy.
To learn more about your options for managing arthritis, please contact us online, call us at (844) 446-7827, or email us.
