Great Tips for Living Better with Arthritis

Keep Ice Packs And Heating Pads On Hand

Individuals can live better with their arthritis when they are sure to keep ice packs and heating pads on hand. Hot and cold therapy is useful for arthritis because it enhances the body's own function of healing itself. Heat is great for stimulating blood circulation, dilating the blood vessels, and decreasing muscle spasms. Heat is best for joints that have become painfully stiff and hard to move. Heating pads can either be dry heat or moist heat.

Cold compresses are excellent for inflamed joints. When the affected area is red and painful, ice pack compresses have a freezing effect on the nerves. The effect numbs them and stops the pain signals from exiting and transmitting to the brain. The cold temperatures help with constriction of the blood vessels that flow into the muscles. When the blood vessels are not dilated, less blood is flowing to the joint during flare-ups when inflammatory immune system components are trying to invade it. This mechanism helps prevent further swelling and improves range of motion.

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