Arthritis: Prevention and Complications

Prevention Tips

• The three main things to be done to control arthritis are:
• work out regularly to be physically active
• maintain a healthy weight
• prevent injuries to your joints.
• Eat good nutritious food in order to make bones strong and healthy.
• Drink enough water. Water makes up 70 percent of the cartilage in joints and helps keep them lubricated so bones dont rub up against each other. Be sure to get eight cups a day.
• Reduce stress and limit consumption of alcohol
• Quit smoking
• Yoga generates beneficial mechanical pressures on joints try doing yoga asanas
• Reduce repetitive strain on muscles and joints. Be alert for any chronic aches and strains caused by work, hobby, or recreation-related activities.

Watch Out

• Painful and swollen joints
• Shortness of breath or chest pain
• Inability to raise or move joints
• Pain accompanied by fever
• Rash or itching

When to See Doctor

Visit a doctor if swelling, stiffness, or pain in your joints lasts for more than 2 weeks.

• The pain and stiffness come on quickly, whether from an injury or an unknown cause
• The pain is accompanied by fever
• The pain develops quickly and is associated with redness and extreme tenderness of the joint
• You notice pain and stiffness in your arms, legs, or back after sitting for short periods or after a night sleep
• A child develops rash and/or pain in the knees, wrists, and ankles, or has fever swings, poor appetite, and weight loss