8 Things We All Get Wrong About Arthritis and Joint Pain

Have you ever heard that arthritis is a normal sign of aging or that it worsens with the rise of humidity? Both of these so-called “facts” are untrue. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of misinformation around joint pain and arthritis. Some of this misleading information is extremely harmful to those who suffer from the condition. For this reason, we’ve collected a list of 8 such common arthritis and joint pain myths and the real facts behind them.

1. All joint pain is arthritis. 

Joint pain and arthritis are often used interchangeably, which is a massive overstatement. In fact, the term “arthritis” itself is incredibly vague because there are as many as 50 types of arthritis, according to some classifications. But even if we only take osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, the two most widespread forms of arthritis, into consideration, they are by no means the only cause of joint pain. 

 

Even if you experience common arthritis symptoms - joint pain, swelling, and limited joint mobility - other conditions cause them, too. Injuries, tendinitis (the inflammation or irritation of a tendon), and bursitis (the inflammation or irritation of a bursa sac) are just a few examples of such conditions. Instead of just assuming that you have arthritis when your joints start aching, it’s important to get professional guidance and be diagnosed properly.

 

2. Moving to a warm dry climate slows down the progression of arthritis.

Can your joints predict the rain? According to anecdotal evidence, people suffering from arthritis can feel more pain immediately before or during rain. Even though there is no hard scientific evidence to confirm this claim, there are a handful of studies suggesting that dampness or humidity could expand the inflamed joints and worsen pain and stiffness temporarily. 

 

However, scientists don’t think that living in a warm and dry climate influences the progression of the disease and will spare you from arthritis pain. In fact, using warm and cold compresses to ease the pain probably has similar benefits. Moving out of your home and away from family to a warmer climate will probably not cure your arthritis.

 

3. Cracking your knuckles causes arthritis.

Mothers have been telling their kids to stop cracking knuckles for what seems like millennia, all in vain. Knuckle cracking may be annoying to hear, but it’s not really harmful, and most importantly, it does not cause arthritis. That said, if you feel pain when you crack your knuckles, it could be due to an underlying problem with the joints. To learn more about what’s going on in the body when you crack or pop your knuckles

4. Arthritis is an older people’s disease.

At the beginning of this article, we mentioned that there are as many as 50 kinds of arthritis. What we didn’t specify is that each type is associated with a specific age group. For example, there is a subtype of rheumatoid arthritis called juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) that affects only kids. According to Dr. Vivian Bykerk, a rheumatologist at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, "It can happen to 1 and 2-year-olds, it can happen to 90-year-olds and to anyone in-between." 

 

If we look at osteoarthritis, the average age of onset is 50 years and older, which is probably where this myth comes from. However, rheumatoid arthritis cases peak in the age range of 30-50 years old, and they actually tend to become rarer as you get older. Thus, this myth is just not true.

5. Ice is more effective than heat at reducing symptoms.

When it comes to most types of joint or muscle pain, both cold compresses and heating pads are useful. Arthritis is no different, so use the method that eases your joint discomfort. Usually, doctors recommend applying heat in the morning to improve joint mobility and relax achy joints and muscles. You can either use a heating pad or a damp warm cloth on the affected area or take a warm shower and a pleasant hot bath to improve your symptoms. 

 

Cold compresses, on the other hand, are often used to relieve friction pain and reduce the inflammation caused by daily activities. You can either use an ice pack or a bag with ice cubes or frozen vegetables wrapped in a cloth for this purpose. 

 

6. You should avoid exercise and physical activity during an arthritis flareup.

Many people believe that exercise will wear out their joints quicker; hence, you shouldn’t exercise if you have arthritis. As a matter of fact, only 13% of men and 8% of women suffering from knee osteoarthritis meet the minimum amount of weekly exercise. The truth is pretty much the opposite of that, which makes this specific myth really harmful. 

 

Regular exercise is one of the most effective ways to reduce arthritis symptoms - it builds muscles around the affected joints, which strengthens and stabilizes the joints. No one says that you should run marathons, but a regular gentle routine can be really helpful. 

 

During a flareup, you may need a few days of rest and do some light stretching in-lieu of more intensive exercises for a week or more, but even then, it’s important to introduce movement in your life every day. If your current exercise routine causes pain, you can also switch to types of activity that are not so taxing on the joints, such as swimming or riding the bike (or the stationary bike). 

 

7. Lifestyle changes make no difference.

This is a continuation of the previous point about exercise. Many patients are discouraged by their diagnosis and feel that surgery is the only way they can improve their joint health, which is just not true. In fact, we’ve already mentioned two ways you can curb the pain and discomfort caused by arthritis in this article - exercise and hot and cold compresses. 

 

Beyond that, doctors recommend that you maintain a healthy weight and stop smoking if you do. Those who smoke and/or are overweight tend to have more severe versions of arthritis. Likewise, it’s helpful to avoid excessive difficult movements like kneeling and squatting, and it’s important NOT to stay in the same position, such as sitting or standing, for a long time.

8. Arthritis is inevitable and untreatable aside from surgery.

Being diagnosed with arthritis can be really depressing, especially because we often think of arthritis as an untreatable disease. In the past, patients were treated with leg elevation, bed rest, and the occasional massage or ointment, but thankfully, rheumatology has gone a long way since. While it is true that most arthritis types are still incurable, doctors do have a wide range of non-surgical treatments for arthritis. 

 

There are conservative treatments for both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. “Over the past 40 years, the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis has changed dramatically,” says  a rheumatologist. “We now have a plethora of highly effective therapies that can not only reduce or eliminate pain, but also quench joint inflammation and prevent the development of structural bone damage, joint deformity, and disability.” Note: the specific treatment assigned to you will depend on the type of arthritis you’re suffering from and requires professional medical help.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

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Home remedies to soothe restless leg syndrome

Suffering from restless leg syndrome?

You are sitting quietly in a meeting and all of a sudden, your leg begins to throb. Worse, just as you go off to sleep, you feel your legs getting warmer and twitch constantly which disturbs your quality sleep. They are all symptoms of restless leg syndrome, which is an uncontrollable sensation you feel in your legs without a reason. This silent condition affects around 15% of the population and can strike at any time.

While medicines can help in the long run, certain home remedies can help tackle the problem from the root. Take a look:

Increase your magnesium intake

Another reason for the cramping, twitching, and anxiety-ridden sensation in your legs is the deficit of minerals. While calcium is a bodybuilding mineral, many of us tend to lack in magnesium intake as well, which is again, crucial for strong and healthy bone and muscle health. In the lack of it, you might be developing an unwanted restless syndrome which can be daunting. Hence, make sure to increase your intake and supplement when needed.

Plus, since magnesium is also a natural relaxant, it can be pretty helpful to soothe the restless symptoms and pain. Do keep in mind that you watch your intake, as the excess of it can lead to digestion problems as well.

Use a hot/cold compress

Restless leg syndrome can cause a prickly, intense moving sensation inside your legs which can make it hard for you to take rest. Applying soothing hot or cold compress on the affected part can relieve the pain, sanitize the triggers and ease the muscle twitches to an extent, which causes restlessness in the first place. Plus, this hack can help by allowing the brain to register a new sensation to replace the discomfort.

Try using a heat or ice compress over the body. You can also make use of a towel soaked in icy cold or warm water to maximize the effect.

Avoid dairy and caffeine

Restless leg syndrome symptoms tend to maximize in the evening and night time the most and according to doctors, certain dietary additions can make your condition worse. Hence, to alleviate the symptoms and control the throbbing sensations, try and avoid foods that aggravate the problem such as caffeine, dairy, and sugar. Stick to a nutrient-rich diet that is naturally soothing for the body.
Try and make use of weighted blankets

Another helpful strategy is to make use of weighted blankets that can act against the twitching and nervous tremors that act up and make your legs throb. While this isn't the best remedy, this can act as a counter stimulant and soothe the anxiety which is associated with restless leg syndrome.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     
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Bet You Didn't Know That Potatoes Are This Useful

Potatoes are a hardy staple of numerous dishes across a whole range of cultures. You can eat them mashed, roasted, fried, baked, sautéed, or as part of a salad or soup and they are the fourth most consumed crop in the world, after rice, wheat, and corn. But as it turns out, potatoes have many other uses outside of your cooking pot. Some of them are remarkably useful, others are great fun to try, but all of them are bound to surprise you! Here are some ways you can use our potatoes outside of the dinner table.

1. Remove Stains 

Foods like turmeric, berries, and beets are fabulous additions to any meal, but they have a habit of leaving their traces all over your hands. It can take a lot of scrubbing with normal soap to remove these stains, and it's really hard to reach underneath your nails. Don't fear though, just keep half a potato back when preparing the dish and rub it over the affected area to magically remove the blemish! Make sure you get right under your nails too. This will work well on grass and ink stains as well.

2. Make a Hot or Cold Compress

This is one you might have read about in books, and it's been used for centuries. Potatoes retain their temperature for a surprisingly long time so if you are out and about on a cold night, keep a couple of hot potato slices in your gloves or pockets. Similarly, if you need to keep cool, use a frozen or chilled potato. If you want to ease aches and pains, then make a hot or cold compress using potato slices inside a sock.

3. Clean Your Windows

Potatoes make for a terrific non-toxic glass cleaner. Take a raw, uncooked potato and rub it over your windows, car windscreen, or even eyeglasses, before wiping away the juice with a clean cloth. You will be left with gleaming glass, without damaging your hands or leaving the smell of chemicals up your nostrils. This works well on clear plastic like swimming or ski goggles as well.

4. Use Potato Juice for Your Ailments 

Okay, so potato juice might not sound like the yummiest mixture in the world, but it has been used for centuries to fight various ailments. It is considered effective against ulcers, sprains, gout, sciatica, heartburn and bruising. The juice is rich in vitamins and it's dead easy to make. Just put a couple of potatoes in a blender, zap them for thirty seconds and you're done. Add carrot or cinnamon juice to improve the taste and you have your own homemade medicine.

5. Remove Warts

Warts are a rather unsightly annoyance, and if you get one, you will want to get rid of it. There's no need to go and have it lazered off though, just treat it with a raw potato. Carefully rub the cut end of the potato across the wart, and leave the juice on. Repeat the process every day until the wart is banished for good!

6. Remove a Broken Light Bulb from a Socket

This use of potatoes is trumpeted by numerous sources! At some point in your life, you've probably faced the annoyance of a light bulb breaking as you attempt to unscrew it. You might be wondering why companies can't design bulbs that don't do this, but in the meantime, you have a trusty potato to help you deal with the problem. Cut the potato in half, and gently press the flat side on to the remainder of the bulb. When the bulb is firmly inserted, you can simply screw it out.

7. Shine Your Silverware

If your cutlery is cloudy and your trinkets are tarnished, why not use a potato to restore their sparkle? You can rub a raw potato over the items if you like, but I find it best to soak them in potato water. This also means you don't have to use extra potatoes to perform the task, simply use the water from the batch you have boiled for your dinner. Add any peeled skins into the water for great results.

8. Feed Your Geraniums

The nutrients in potatoes will help your pot plants grown. You can either carve a small hole in the potato and plant the stem of the flower inside it, before putting the whole thing into the soil; or you can sprinkle some potato shavings into the soil around your already growing flowers to give them a fantastic, natural boost.

9. Sort Out Your Skin

Potatoes are great for your skin, so making yourself a potato face mask once a week can reap rewards. You only need to use mashed potato mixed with water and leave the resulting paste on your face for 30 minutes. A couple of slices of potato can also be used to reduce the appearance of puffy eyes and black circles, and are a great alternative to the more widely used cucumber. The ability of potatoes to clear up minor rashes and acne have been known for centuries!

10. Soothe a Headache

Potatoes have been used to help ease headaches for centuries, and you will only need a few slices. You can rub them into your temples, or for more sustained relief, fix them against your forehead using a headband or bandage.

11. Make Some Great Personalized Art

We all remember making potato stamps and dipping them in paint in art class at school. But don't for a second think that this practice is just the preserve of children. Just draw the shape you want on to the cut potato, carve out the shape and dip it in fabric paint before dabbing it over your canvas. Personalize bags, cushions, walls - whatever you like! It's a really fun and easy way to personalize your home and it's great for kids too.

12. Relieve a Burn

If you burnt your fingers on a hot pan or clipped your arm against the stove while it was still on, reach for a potato. Just 1 slice of raw potato should do the trick - apply it to the burn and fix in place using whatever you have handy.

13. Absorbs Excess Salt from a Soup or Cooking Pot

If you have over-salted your pot of soup or pasta by mistake, then throw in some potato slices or cubes to restore the balance. Leave the potatoes in while the mixture simmers for ten minutes or so, and then scoop them back out.

14. Banish Rust from Metal 

Are your old tools or kitchen utensils starting to look like antiques? Restore them to their former glories by chopping a potato in half, adding a liberal amount of soap or salt to the cut end and rubbing it over the affected surface. Rinse and dry the object thoroughly afterward. This works great along the edge of large carving knives!

15. Power a Light Bulb

Okay, so we expect this one is more for fun than anything else, but it's still fascinating and great for entertaining the kids/grandkids. Did you know that potatoes contain lots of energy, and the chemical reactions that take place between the potato juices and a couple of dissimilar metals create enough voltage to power a small electrical device? 

To try this for yourself, you will need: 1 large potato, two small coins, two zinc-plated standard nails, three small pieces of copper wire and a small, low wattage light bulb:
1. Cut the potato in half, cut a slit in each half. Wrap the coins in the copper wire a few times, using different wire for each coin. Then slide the coins into the slits.
2. Take the remaining piece of copper wire and wrap it around one of the zinc plated nails. Stick the nail into one of the potato halves.

3. Take the wire that's connected to the coin in the half of the potato that also contains the nail, and wrap it around the second nail. Stick the second nail into the other potato half.

4. Connect the two loose ends of the copper wire to the light bulb and it will light up.
Be careful when allowing children to handle the copper wires as they contain a small electrical charge, and don't perform the experiment near to an open flame.

this is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     
https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement