Alternative Therapies to Fight Arthritis

When you have arthritis, its extremely important to maintain balance and strength. According to Health.com, exercise is a great way to do that. Some good options for arthritis-friendly exercise are: aquatics, walking, biking, yoga, and tai chi.

Exercise also keeps depression away, which can happen to anyone who's dealing with a chronic illness.

Going to physical therapy can be a great way to help with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Health.com says that your therapist may use treatments such as heat, ice, rang-of-motion exercises, and gentle strengthening exercises. Keep going to therapy until you start feeling better, which could take several weeks.

If your arthritis pain is preventing you from doing activities that are part of your job, health.com recommends occupational therapy. For instance, if your wrists are severely swollen from typing on a keyboard for too long, an occupational therapist can help you manage the pain.

In counseling, or cognitive therapy, you can discuss and share your feelings about your rheumatoid arthritis and how it has affected your life. Health.com says that this type of therapy helps patients to realize their problem areas and what they can do to change their lifestyle and behaviors to accommodate their disease.

Counseling is especially helpful if your RA is causing you to feel depressed.

Suffering from RA is anything but relaxing. Try a calming treatment for your joints, by using therapeutic scents and oils in bath water, or for massages. The experts at About.com say that pleasant aromas can make you feel relaxed and help reduce arthritis pain.

This traditional Chinese remedy can help cure various types of chronic pain such as headaches, menstrual cramps, and back and neck pain. Of course, according to health.com, it's useful for treating arthritis too. Acupuncture decreases pain and increases the release of endorphins that block pain.

Also known as Chromotherapy, according to Phylameana lil Desy for About.com, this treatment helps to clear negative energy in your body and mind, and helps to restore balance. Some tools used in chromotherapy include gemstones, candles, and colored fabrics.

Maybe you want to use a more fashionable treatment for your RA. Copper bracelets are a popular remedy that people use to relieve joint pain. According to About.com, copper is known for absorbing pain, and also helps keep your bones, immune system, and nerves healthy.

According to About.com, writing out the negative feelings that cause you stress and anxiety can help alleviate your arthritis pain. It may sound kind of crazy, but studies have shown that writing has helped many people suffering from RA and Asthma.

Its not the number one recommended treatment for arthritis, but according to About.com laughter can be a form of medicine that relieves the pain and tension in your body. Coincidentally, comedian Lucille Ball, suffered from rheumatoid arthritis.

According to Carol Eustice for About.com, magnets can be used to help control arthritis by increasing circulation. It's claimed that using magnets can help realign the bodys electromagnetic field. This alternative therapy is also used for carpal tunnel and tendinitis.

Who doesnt love going to the spa? Try a simple remedy for arthritis by going out with some friends and getting a relaxing massage. According to About.com, massage therapy can help loosen and soothe those stiff muscles, and it relieve joint pain.

For those battling rheumatoid arthritis, art can be a way to lift your spirits. It cant necessarily make you feel better physically, but according to About.com the creativity involved can help heal your mental scars.