Let’s Talk About Managing Osteoarthritis Naturally

At Interventional Sports and Pain Management Associates in Humble and Baytown, Texas, board-certified pain management expert Dr. Okezie N. Okezie helps Houston-area patients get long-lasting relief from life-disrupting arthritis pain. 

Effective osteoarthritis (OA) management isn’t just about attaining relief for stiff, achy joints; it’s also about slowing disease progression, improving joint function, and protecting mobility. Luckily, some of the best OA management strategies are all-natural.   

In recognition of Arthritis Awareness Month this May, we’re taking a closer look at how you can manage OA day-to-day — and push the need for joint replacement surgery far into the future. 

A short tutorial on OA

An estimated one in four adults in the United States — or about 54 million Americans — have arthritis. Osteoarthritis (OA), the most common form of arthritis, affects approximately 33 million adults and accounts for about three in five of all arthritis cases (61%).  

Also known as degenerative joint disease, OA causes the smooth, lubricating cartilage tissue that cushions the bones within a joint to progressively wear away, leading to:

• Joint pain with movement 
• Stiffness after prolonged rest 
• Swelling after increased use
• Decreased range of motion
• Sensation of joint instability 

The cartilage loss and joint damage inflicted by OA can’t be reversed, but there’s a lot you can do to slow OA wear-and-tear. This is beneficial because OA is a progressive disease that often advances to the point of requiring interventional pain relief procedures, like joint injections, nerve blocks, and eventually, joint replacement surgery. 

Natural OA management 

During the early stages of OA, many people find that taking anti-inflammatory pain relievers (NSAIDs) is the easiest way to control joint swelling, pain, and stiffness. While this approach is suitable for major pain flares, daily pain reliever use isn’t healthy or productive. 

Instead, it’s better to take steps to control the things that make OA symptoms worse — and to find complementary ways to manage your pain. You can achieve both through:

Weight control

Reaching and maintaining a healthy weight reduces stress on your load-bearing joints, which in turn reduces the intensity and frequency of OA symptoms in the ankles, knees, hips, and lower back.  

Healthy eating 

Just as anti-inflammatory whole foods promote joint health and help control OA, processed food products and fatty foods can encourage inflammation and may contribute to OA pain. 

Skip the junk foods as well as foods that are high in saturated fats, and opt for fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins — along with anti-inflammatory foods like berries, dark leafy greens, salmon, walnuts, and avocado — instead.   

Daily exercise 

OA-affected joints become stiff and painful with inactivity. At the same time, regular exercise increases blood flow to the joint, enhances lubrication within the joint, and strengthens the muscles and other supportive tissues surrounding the joint. 

Low-impact activities, such as walking, swimming, and cycling, along with exercises like tai chi and yoga, can help improve joint function, reduce pain, and increase mobility.  

Activity modification

When OA is making a joint feel especially achy — usually after a period of intense use, it’s helpful to rest the joint so that it can recover. This is part of learning where your limits are with OA, and respecting them. The goal is to balance activity and rest, and avoid overdoing it. 

Heat and cold therapy

Want an effective, drug-free alternative to pain relievers? Try heat and cold therapy. To relax tense muscles and reduce joint stiffness, try applying a heating pad or taking a hot bath. To ease joint pain and swelling after activity or during a flare of OA symptoms, ice the affected joint for 20 minutes using a cloth-covered ice pack.

Water therapy

If you have access to a pool, include it in your OA management plan. Hydrotherapy, which involves gentle exercises and movements in warm water, can reduce pressure on arthritic joints and help improve range of motion, joint function, and mobility.

Stress reduction 

Chronic stress can exacerbate any pain condition, including arthritis. Therapy, meditation, deep breathing, being in nature, listening to music, and writing in a journal are a few natural stress-relieving strategies that can help disrupt the mind-body connection associated with OA pain.

Your partner in OA care 

Looking to keep your OA-affected joints as healthy as possible for as long as possible? Our Interventional Sports and Pain Management Associates team is here to help. Contact your nearest office in Humble or Baytown, Texas, today.