You can act right now with some simple ideas and steps to manage your arthritis. These tips can directly or indirectly improve your health, outlook, and pain level or can generally make life with arthritis a little easier.

• Pay attention to symptoms, see your doctor and get an accurate diagnosis. If you have pain, stiffness or swelling in or around a joint for more than two weeks, it's time to see your doctor. Only a doctor can tell if it's arthritis, but ask for a specific diagnosis of the type of arthritis you have. Getting the right treatment requires getting the right diagnosis.

• Start early. The earlier an accurate diagnosis is made and treatment started, the better. Early treatment can often mean less joint damage and less pain.

• Protect your joints. Avoid excess stress on your joints. Use larger or stronger joints to carry things. Also, staying close to your recommended weight also helps relieve damaging pressure on hips and knees.

• Get moving. Exercise helps lessen pain, increases range of movement, reduces fatigue and helps you feel better overall. You should focus on range-of-motion exercises and strengthening exercises that are good for arthritis.

• Pick, pour or peel. If you are looking for a tasty healthy treat, reach for an orange – or a tall glass of orange juice. Recent research has shown the importance of vitamin C and other antioxidants in reducing the risk of osteoarthritis and its progression.

• Play in the dirt. Buy the seeds for three of your favorite veggies or flowers and plant a garden. Digging in the dirt can be therapeutic for sore hands and can yield beautiful and fragrant – or delicious and nutritious – results. 

• Have a good laugh. Read a book of jokes, rent a funny movie or watch your favorite sit-com or stand-up comedian. Laughing – even when you feel like crying from agony – can relax muscles, relieve pain and even boost your immune system.

• Play it safe in the sun. Protect yourself when you go out into the sun — wear sunglasses, a hat and sun screen. Some forms of arthritis, as well as certain medications, can leave you more vulnerable to the sun’s harmful rays.

• Resolve to reduce. Lose weight. You won’t just look better, you’ll feel better, too. Every extra pound you carry around translates to added stress to your knees and hips. Excess weight can mean more pain, no matter which form of arthritis you have and can also contribute to and aggravate osteoarthritis, while increasing your risk of gout.

• Bone up. Stock up on your favorite source of calcium. A diet rich in this important mineral can help decrease your risk of osteoporosis.

• Do drugs – the right way. Take your medication just as your doctor prescribes. If you’re tempted to stop because you feel it’s not working or you believe it’s causing side effects, call your doctor first. Stopping a medication abruptly may not only cause you to miss out on its benefits – in some cases it can be downright dangerous.

• Work smarter. Do something that will make your job easier — check into working flex hours, telecommuting or working part-time. No matter where or when you work, take frequent breaks to stretch stiff joints and sore muscles.

• Stretch your legs. Stretching is a simple way to keep joints and muscles flexible. It relieves stress and can help enable you to maintain your daily activities. .

• Take the plunge. Exercising in the water can build strength and increase range of motion, while the water’s buoyancy reduces wear and tear on sore joints. Check the local YMCA or call your local Arthritis Foundation office for an aquatic exercise program in your area.

• Make a pack. When joints are hot and inflamed, applying something cold can decrease pain and swelling by constricting blood vessels and preventing fluids from leaking into surrounding tissues.

• Appeal to a higher power. No one knows exactly how, but research is showing that spiritual belief and prayer can help people feel better physically and emotionally.

Source: Arthritis Foundation www.arthritis.org