People will always try to explain why things happen, but sometimes, these “claimed facts” may not be helping, especially when talking about health conditions. Various myths have been surrounding different health conditions for years, and osteoarthritis is one of its casualties. Unfortunately, many people still believe such damaging hearsay despite its lack of factual basis!
This article will tell you the only facts you should know about joint pain and arthritis and why certain myths should be disregarded.
Fact 1: Not all the pain you are feeling in the joint is arthritis
When someone feels a pain in any of their joints, other people will immediately claim that it is arthritis. Arthritis indeed refers to the swelling and tenderness of one or more joints in a person’s body—but it is not the only condition that can cause your joint pain!
Other structures found near your joints can also swell. As a result, you will feel the same pain that arthritis causes. Some of these conditions that are similar in the pain areas caused by arthritis are tendonitis (the tendon’s inflammation in the elbow, wrist, finger, or thighs) and bursitis (the inflammation of the bursae, usually in the shoulder, elbow, and hip).
Fact 2: You can still exercise even if you have arthritis
Some may tell you to take it easy with exercise when you have arthritis—but keeping your joints moving and strengthening your range of motion can actually help improve its condition! However, it would help if you do not strain yourself when in pain.
Have regular, gentle exercise and start with short durations—a 20-minute session would suffice! Once this becomes “easy,” scale your progress along the way. Do not forget to rest and return to the routine as gradually as you can—that way, you avoid injuring yourself further.
You can ask your doctor for an exercise prescription that is gentler on the joints to ensure you are doing it right.
Fact 3: The rain does not have anything to do with arthritis
Another popular myth about arthritis says that if a person with the condition experiences a sharp pain in their joints, rain is about to come. This myth is often heard from people with OA or RA who feel that their symptoms worsen during cold, rainy weather.
The pressure drop may have caused the joint tissues to expand, therefore creating pain. However, there is no hard scientific evidence yet that will prove this claim! As of writing, the truth is that change in weather will never cause arthritis or worsen its condition.
Fact 4: You can apply both heat and cold to improve your joint inflammation
Ice is always on top of the list when it comes to naturally healing a swelling, but somehow, some people thought that it is not advisable for arthritis. The fact is that you can use heat and cold to make your joints feel better.
Here is one effective method you can try to improve your condition:
- Hot compress at the start of the day: Before you begin your day, apply a heating pad on your sore joints to relax your muscles. You can also take a warm shower or soak in a warm bath as an alternative.
- Cold compress at night: To relieve your muscles and joints from the whole day’s activities, try applying ice on it for 20 minutes at night.
Conclusion
People’s bodies are not the same, and different conditions may share the same symptoms or get triggered by different situations. The only way you can confirm the truth behind your health condition is to consult an expert before believing everything you hear about it. Your rheumatologist is the best person to recommend the supplements, exercise, and solutions to improve your arthritis.
Are you looking for an orthopedic hand specialist that can provide you with arthritis treatment for your hands? At Hand & Wrist Center, we provide emergency services for your hand and wrist arthritis. We’re a member of the Association of Surgery of the Hand, American College of Surgeons, Florida Orthopedic Society, and the Clay County Medical Society. Call us at (904) 215-2422 to book an appointment.
