Arthritis is a leading cause of disability in American adults, and accounts for more than six percent of hospitalizations each year. If you suffer from arthritis, talk to your doctor about these options for self-therapy to keep pain and inflammation in check.

Related Articles

Exercise and arthritis - a good pairing

Lose weight to protect your knees

Supplements to treat arthritis

Eat right to reduce inflammation

At least once a year, request an examination of your joints from head to toe, tell your doctor about joint pain, and ask for tips on protecting your joints from daily wear and tear. Then follow through on your doctor's advice. Be sure to tell your doctor about any medications and over-the-counter products you are taking.


Since smoking steals nutrients from your body, smokers have a greater risk of fractures than nonsmokers. One research study shows that smoking increases your risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis when you have a genetic predisposition to the disease.


A massage can relieve tense muscles and reduce fatigue. Treat yourself to a soothing massage after a busy or stressful time. On a regular basis, you might want to massage sore hands with a topical anti-inflammatory cream (look for ingredients such as capsaicin or salicylates).

However, if a joint is really inflamed, wait until the swelling has gone down before massaging it, since rubbing it might make your symptoms worse.


Apply ice or a cold pack to the area to reduce pain and swelling. Heat can also help relieve pain and stiffness, so try a warm bath, a heating pad, whirlpool, or a microwaveable heat pack. You can even find heat packs that you can wear all day on your aching joint.

Take extra care with electric heating pads, since they have been known to cause burns. Never use an electric heating pad on an infant or on someone who is sleeping. Don't sit on or against a heating pad, crush or fold it during use, or use metal fasteners to hold it in place. And don't use it in an oxygen-enriched environment.


Meditation and visualization both involve deep relaxation and result in stress reduction.


Since many people with arthritis do not get adequate pain relief from their prescription medication, there are additional options for pain management which include these nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for inflammation and pain:

• Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
• Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, Nuprin, Medipren)
• Diclofenac Voltaren, Cataflam)
• Etodoloc (Lodine, Lodine XL)
• Ketoprofen (Actron, Orudis, Orudis KT, Oruvail)
• Sulindac (Clinoril)

Studies show non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) - like ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin - can do more than help with joint pain. They may also reduce other types of inflammation, like that in the blood vessels. And some research says that NSAIDs may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

The best course may be to use NSAIDs for limited periods of time, because long-term use has been associated with increased risk of heart attacks, kidney disease, gastrointestinal bleeding, and heart failure.


In one study, SAM-e (S-Adenosyl Methionine), pronounced "sammy," was as effective as a NSAID in reducing swelling and relieving joint pain.


Avoid high heels, which stress your foot and knees and increase your risk of developing osteoarthritis. A three-inch heel stresses your foot seven times more than a one-inch heel.


Extra pounds put stress on your body, simply from carrying them around every day. But they also make inflammation worse. Losing weight can have an immediate impact on inflammation.

One study of overweight women found that losing about 30 pounds resulted in a 32 percent lower level of C-reactive protein, the inflammation marker.