Lifestyle Tips for Those Suffering From Rheumatoid Arthritis

This article will discuss what steps you can take to alleviate the agonizing pain caused by rheumatoid arthritis. But first, let us understand what this condition is.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease in which your immune system accidentally assaults your healthy tissues. People with rheumatoid arthritis may have difficulty sleeping due to the pain and inflexibility associated with the disease. It is near impossible to sleep as the pain is severe in some cases. 

Rheumatoid arthritis is a long-term inflammatory condition that affects more than your joints. The illness can harm a range of body organs in some people, including the eyes, skin, heart, lungs, and blood vessels. 

In the early stages of rheumatoid arthritis, the smaller joints in your limbs are affected. This means the symptoms will start with the joints in your hands and feet. The shoulders, wrists, hips, elbows, knees, and ankles are affected as the condition advances. Symptoms appear in the same joints on both sides of your body in most cases.

Rheumatoid arthritis has no cure, but it can be put into remission. The intensity of rheumatoid arthritis typically wanes over time. Furthermore, remedies are improving all the time, to the point that a combination of the correct pharmaceutical regimen and lifestyle changes can help control the symptoms.

Dr. Amol S Raut, a highly-skilled rheumatologist in Aurangabad, provides comprehensive care for all types of rheumatoid arthritis, including pediatric rheumatology.

What are the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis?

The earliest signs may take a few weeks or months to appear. Following are the symptoms as a result of the inflammation it creates:

Pain: When there is inflammation inside a joint, it hurts whether you move it or not. It leads to damage and profound suffering over time.

Swelling: Fluid in the joint causes the joint to puff out and become tender.

Soreness: When you move or push on a joint, it hurts.

Warmth and redness: Due to the inflammation, the joints may become warmer and have color changes. 

Stiffness: The joint is more difficult to use and moves less smoothly than it should. It is particularly prevalent in the morning. Although many people with other types of arthritis experience stiff joints in the morning, it takes more than an hour (often several hours) for rheumatoid arthritis patients' joints to feel loose.

Psychological changes: You feel mood changes like anger, depression, and exhaustion (fatigue).

Symptoms of the flu: You will have a general feeling of being ill, feeling hot, and sweating.

Less common symptoms are:

Loss of body weight: Weight loss and muscle wasting may be seen

Eye inflammation: rheumatoid arthritis may lead to the following eye conditions 

• Dry eye – A disorder in which the eyes don't produce enough tears, causing discomfort and redness.
• Scleritis – a condition that causes pain and inflammation in the sclera or white part of the eye.
• Uveitis - the eye wall's middle layer of tissue (uvea) is affected. The warning signals usually appear out of nowhere and get worse quickly. Eye redness, discomfort, and blurred vision are among them.

Rheumatoid nodules: You may see firm lumps under the skin.

Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis come and go. Sometimes you may experience a flare-up; flare-ups occur when your symptoms become more intense than usual. Dr. Amol S Raut, a highly respected rheumatologist in Aurangabad, stresses that you must pay attention to any symptoms and always listen to your body.

Lifestyle Tips to alleviate suffering

A healthy diet: Diet is a crucial part of our health, whether you have rheumatoid arthritis not. It is advisable to eat lots of fruits, vegetables, and grains. Eating a variety of colored fruits and vegetables will supply a variety of antioxidants, important minerals, and vitamins that may be beneficial to persons with RA.

You should avoid processed foods and colas as they contain many empty calories. The best way to stay hydrated is to drink plenty of water.

It is important to cook in a method that reduces your calorie intake. Calories and weight become crucial in rheumatoid arthritis since gaining weight might make moving difficult. If you have stiffness, soreness, or swelling in your knees, hips, or ankles, then adding weight to that makes it even more challenging to move.

So your primary focus should be on eating a nutritious diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains while avoiding calorie-dense, greasy, and processed foods.

Exercise daily: Making sure you receive adequate exercise each day is another vital part of living a healthy lifestyle. Keep moving, as exercise can also mean movement. 

This is especially crucial if you have arthritis because you are strengthening your joints when you exercise and move. You are also toughening the muscles surrounding your joints through a range of motion, allowing them to exercise their joints effectively.

A word of caution: 

Dr. Amol S Raut, one of the best rheumatologists in Aurangabad, states that if you are experiencing a flare-up with several inflamed joints, it is not a good idea to exercise on a treadmill or at a gym. You should pay attention to your body and concentrate on getting rid of the flare. 

Please get in touch with Dr. Amol S Raut if you have a flare-up or facing severe discomfort. He is one of the most proficient rheumatologists in Aurangabad and takes time to explain the condition and treatments to his patients. 

Steps to lower chances of getting rheumatoid arthritis

Quit smoking

Limit alcohol

Improve oral hygiene

Include fish in your diet

Monitor your weight

Exercise or be active

Limit exposure to environmental irritants

Conclusion

Even though new types of drugs have greatly improved treatment choices, severe cases of rheumatoid arthritis can still inflict physical limitations. Rheumatic disorders, even the non-inflammatory ones, can negatively impact the quality of life and shorten your life expectancy.

As a result, proper therapy is required to reduce mortality. Patients with co-morbidities including hypertension and high blood cholesterol, on the other hand, should be evaluated frequently.

To avoid long-term consequences, like joint damage and deformity, you must be diagnosed during the first few weeks to months after the beginning of symptoms. This period is known as the "window of opportunity" and is crucial to ensure you receive proper therapy during this time.

If you or your loved one notices any of the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, please get in touch with Dr. Amol S Raut, one of the leading rheumatologists in Aurangabad, at the earliest.