Winter can exacerbate arthritis pain: Here’s how to deal with it

Cold weather can worsen arthritis pain. Here are some tips to combat joint stiffness, maintain your bone health and stay happy during the winters.

By: Longjam Dineshwori | | Updated: December 9, 2020 9:40 am

Changes in the weather can have an effect on your joints. © Shutterstock.

Cold weather can have a significant impact on your health, particularly for those who are suffering from arthritis. As the temperature drops, bones usually become stiff, inflexible and creaking, which can heighten discomfort in the joints, making life of people with arthritis troublesome. In fact, anyone who suffers from arthritis pain can sense and predict the change in weather. Also Read - Rheumatoid arthritis: Woman Bedridden For 9 Years Walks Again After 3D Roboalign TKR surgery

Not only the cold weather increase stiffness and joint pain, it can also lead to increased anxiety, depression and isolation for patients with arthritis. Also Read - Celebrity fitness trainer Yasmin Karachiwala shares exercises for arthritis patients

So, here are some tips to ease joint pain, maintain your bone health and stay happy during the winters. Also Read - Ayurvedic medicines for chronic pain can reduce consumption of painkillers by 90%: Survey

Dress Warmly

Keep your aching hands, knees and legs warm with gloves, tights or leggings, and boots. Add extra layers of clothing, if needed and especially when you go out in winter. But make sure it doesn’t restrict your movement. More layers of clothes work better at trapping the body heat than wearing thicker clothes.

Stay Hydrated

Dehydration can make you more sensitive to pain, as revealed by a 2015 study published in Experimental Physiology. Water flushes toxins out of your body, which can help fight inflammation. Also, water helps keep your joints well lubricated. What’s more, drinking water before a meal can promote weight loss. Studies have found significant improvement in people with knee arthritis when they lost weight loss.

Exercise

Many people tend to hibernate and laze around during the winters. But staying active is crucial for people living with arthritis. It can help ease pain, increase strength and flexibility, and boost energy. Doctors recommend adults with arthritis to do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity a week and two weekly sessions of strength training. Note: This advice is for those who have normal physical function and no other severe health conditions. If you want to avoid the winter chill, workout indoors.

Try heat therapy

A warm shower or soak in a tub, swimming in a heated pool, using heating pads, hot water bag, electric blankets – these are some ways to reap the benefits of heat therapy. Heat can improve blood flow and help flush out pain-producing chemicals. It can also stimulate receptors in your skin that improve your pain tolerance. In addition, heat relaxes muscles, which in turn helps decrease spasms and reduce stiffness.

Supplement Vitamin D

Less exposure to the sun makes it difficult to get enough vitamin D or sunshine vitamin in the winter. Studies have linked lower vitamin D levels with more severe clinical manifestations of rheumatic arthritis. Low vitamin D levels may also increase sensitivity to pain. Therefore, Vitamin D supplement is often recommended for arthritis patients. Talk to your doctor about your need for supplements. Meanwhile, you can add foods that contains vitamin D such as fatty fish like swordfish, mackerel, salmon, and tuna, and fortified products like orange juice, milk, and breakfast cereals to your diet.

Up your intake of omega-3 fatty acids

Omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties, which can be beneficial for people who have an inflammatory type of arthritis.

A study published in the Annals of Rheumatic Disease in 2013 found that people with rheumatoid arthritis who took omega-3s supplements had a reduction in joint pain. Other studies suggest that omega-3s may help rheumatoid arthritis patients lower their dose of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). People with rheumatoid arthritis are at higher risk of heart disease, and omega-3s are known for their role in promoting heart health.

Fish oil is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids. Plant-based sources of omega-3 fatty acids include avocado, flaxseeds, and walnuts.

Published : December 8, 2020 7:50 pm | Updated:December 9, 2020 9:40 am

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