Contents:
- Medical Video: The Pain, Swelling And Stiffness of Rheumatoid Arthritis
- 7 Ways to deal with stiff joints due to rheumatism
- 1. Eat biscuits and medicine, an hour before getting up
- 2. Exercise in bed when you wake up
- 3. Bathe with warm water
- 4. Start your day with a quality breakfast
- 5. Use heat
- 6. Exercise every day
- 7. Avoid stress
Medical Video: The Pain, Swelling And Stiffness of Rheumatoid Arthritis
If you are a sufferer rheumatoid arthritis (RA) aka rheumatism, you must be familiar with joint stiffness in the morning. Morning can be the most painful time, even though that time is the most important time to start activities. Stiff joints, especially in the morning, are indeed the most frequent symptoms and are one of the keys to diagnosing rheumatism. Although, the stiffness will subside within a few hours, this condition is certainly very disturbing. Fortunately, there are a number of things you can do to relieve stiff joints in the morning.
7 Ways to deal with stiff joints due to rheumatism
1. Eat biscuits and medicine, an hour before getting up
Take a painkiller one hour before you wake up. Before going to sleep, prepare painkillers, one glass of water, and some biscuits at the table next to your bed. Then, set your alarm to sound one hour before your usual wake time. The next morning, when the alarm sounds, you just wake up to eat a few biscuits followed by painkillers. Next, you can go back to sleep for one hour until your usual waking time.
2. Exercise in bed when you wake up
After you wake up at the usual hour, your painkillers may have worked. However, do not rush to move first. Stretch and light exercise in bed first. This can help "wake up" your muscles and loosen your creaking joints.
READ ALSO: 8 Sports That Can Be Done on a Bed
When still in the blanket, lie down with your back at the bottom. Stretch your upper body first. First, move your head to both sides to relax the neck. Then sequentially stretch each joint of the fingers, wrists, elbows and shoulders. Also do the same thing in the lower body, namely the toes, ankles, knees and hips. Stretch and move as many joints as you want slowly and gently. When your joints feel less stiff and don't hurt, you can get up from your bed.
3. Bathe with warm water
Bathing with warm water is one of the best methods to relieve joint stiffness. Hot temperatures cause blood to flow to the surface of the skin and warm the joint area. If you can soak, try soaking yourself for 10-20 minutes. During the bath, move your joints and massage lightly with a cloth or washcloth. If you take a shower using a shower or shower which can be held, point the shower to the joint that feels stiff and painful. Enjoy your bath time to relieve pain in your joints.
READ ALSO: Sleeping More Soundly by Bathing at Night, Really?
4. Start your day with a quality breakfast
Eating a mild but nutritious breakfast can help relieve stiff joints in the morning. You can eat an egg or yogurt with roasted whole wheat bread, or a bowl of whole-grain cereal with milk. This breakfast choice can provide enough calories to start the day. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that means your body attacks your own joints. For this reason, the body needs enough energy to repair this damage.
5. Use heat
Wearing a hot ointment can help relieve joint stiffness and pain. Gently massage in the area of the joint that is painful so that the heat sinks in and can last for several hours. Alternatively, you can fill a cloth bag with rice or beans, and heat it for one minute at microwave. This object can function as a warm compress that can be carried everywhere.
6. Exercise every day
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) can make exercise feel heavy. When you're relapsing, your joints can feel very painful so they can't be moved. The main key to exercising for rheumatoid sufferers is not to overdo it. Avoid putting a strain on the painful joint, and try moving other joints that can be moved.
READ ALSO: 7 Tips to Overcome Dislike of Exercising
Walking for 15-20 minutes a day can strengthen the muscles that support your joints. Stretching and light movements can prevent your joints from stiffness and weakness. Keeping your body fit and strong can also reduce the time taken until your morning stiffness subsides.
7. Avoid stress
Morning will probably be the hardest time for remedial sufferers. Don't hesitate to ask for help from the people around you. You can also manage your mind to avoid stress by meditation. Rheumatism is painful, but you always have a way to deal with it.
