Coping with Osteoarthritis with Hot and Cold Therapy

Another option to cope with Osteoarthritis is to administer a combination of heat and cold to the affected joint area. Heat relaxes muscles and alleviates pain and soreness. You may already take a hot shower or relaxing bath when your muscles ache after a long, weary day.

Applying cold to the affected joint also lessens pain but it acts as an anti-inflammatory treatment as well. Most people already apply an ice pack, for instance, when they want to reduce the chance of an injury swelling.

These results are very limited and temporary. In fact, applying heat to an affected joint can sometimes worsen the area in the long run. Cold is the preferred method of treatment but it’s not as comfortable to the patient.

You can always take protective measures to shield your joints from pain and swelling. When working on a task that requires a repetitive movement, rest your bones and give them a chance to rejuvenate.

When lifting heavy items, lift with your legs and back, not your arms. Heavy loads can put unnecessary stress on your joints and cause permanent injury. Likewise, you should vary the positions and movements you’re doing so that one area is not handling the brunt of the task.

If you’re already suffering from Osteoarthritis and protective measures are a little too late, make sure you relax your muscles as often as possible to reduce inflammation and pain in your joints.

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