How to Reduce Pain and Stiffness in Arthritis with Hot and Cold Therapy

How to Reduce Pain and Stiffness in Arthritis with Hot and Cold Therapy

Pain Management   January 25, 2017

You want to reduce pain and stiffness in the joints soon disappear? Now you can try to do hot and cold therapy. This therapy uses heat energy at once cold to relieve symptoms of arthritis. According to health experts, hot and cold works by stimulating the body's ability to heal itself.

According to the doctors, the heat is used, serves to dilate blood vessels, stimulate blood circulation and reduce stiffness. In addition, the heat also serves to eliminate the sensation of pain. You can use a variety of equipment such as heating pad, heat lamp, or using steam heat by warm baths or compresses with a cloth soaked in hot water.

In contrast to heat, cold compresses reduce the inflammation by means of screwed or shrink the blood vessels. Although the sensation of water ice compress or pack a bag of ice will cause discomfort in the beginning, but this way can reduce pain.

When using heat therapy of steam, make sure the temperature is not too hot to avoid the possibility of skin burns. Choose a temperature you can tolerate, either with a bath of warm water, using a bottle filled with hot water, or hot spa.

You can do a heat treatment of at least 15 minutes before physical exercise. Then you should immediately use again after exercise. Additionally, you can also use the steam any time you require additional treatment to relieve the pain.

Effectiveness of heat therapy. Many arthritis sufferers reported having experienced a reduction in pain and stiffness after a hot shower or do the hot spa. The use of hot steam otherwise effectively relax muscles, improve blood supply to the affected area and relieve muscle stiffness. However, avoid heat therapy if you suffer from diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, or if you are pregnant.

According to the doctor and patient reports, this therapy is also effective in relieving the pain of arthritis. Ice bag used as a compress on the inflamed area will be working to reduce inflammation and swelling. Ice bag is particularly good for relieving pain in joints due to the heat generated by arthritis. In addition to ice, you can also try the local spray as fluoromethane (nonflammable) on the back or the affected area before and after physical activity. This cooler serves to relieve muscle stiffness and improve your ability to withstand pain. Or to make things easier, you can make an ice pack to wrap vegetables that have been refrigerated or frozen.

Which is better, hot or cold? Some patients prefer cold therapy compared to vapor. While some other patients who claimed to get the best results by combining the two. To get the right choice, you could do the experiment.

To get the best results, try using steam heat therapy or a bag of ice at least twice a day. According to the American College of Rheumatology, compresses or massaging the affected area with ice for 5-10 minutes, within 48 hours of first relapse, can help to relieve pain. Medium heat should be used for pain that persists for more than 48 hours.

Leg Cramps During Pregnancy - Prevention and Pain Management

Leg Cramps During Pregnancy - Prevention and Pain Management

Pain Management   October 04, 2013

Complaint that is often experienced by pregnant women are leg cramps, sometimes your fingers cramp as well. Especially when changing position from sitting to standing. Leg cramps during pregnancy usually occurs in the second trimester of pregnancy until the end. This situation may be due to a calf must withstand loads with increasing gestational age. The most frequent calf muscle cramps is below and behind the knees. Cramping pain may last a few seconds to minutes. Leg cramps can occur when we are resting, perhaps even sleeping.

Causes

Cramps can occur when the muscle is stimulated to contract in a position to contraction. This happens when we sleep on his knees half bent, and feet slightly downward. At this position the calf muscles flexed and somewhat prone to cramps. That is why the movement stretching before bed can prevent it.

It could also be because of leg fatigue of having to sustain the increased load during pregnancy. Other causes could be due to lack of blood flow to the lower body due to increased weight and pressure in the uterus.

Onset of leg cramps caused by an imbalance of some kind of mineral levels in the blood, ie, calcium, potassium and magnesium are too low, while phosphorus levels are too high. All it causes interference to the nervous system the body's muscles.

In some cases, cramps may occur due to problems or other conditions, for example:

• Several types of medications can give side effects such as cramping.
• Dehydration
• Imbalance of salts in the blood (eg, calcium or potassium levels are too low)
• Pregnancy, especially in the final trimester
• An underactive thyroid gland
• Narrowing of the leg arteries that impede circulation
• Disorders of the nervous
• Cirrhosis of the liver

Prevention

• Tell your doctor if cramps may be caused by the consumption of one of the above drugs . Doctors can provide alternative medicine .
• Drink at least six glasses filled every day , including one glass before bed . Also drink before , during and after exercise .
• Consumption of foods rich in calcium , potassium and magnesium . Eat one or two bananas a day is enough to meet the needs of potassium .
• Avoid standing for too long .
• Avoid impaired blood flow to the foot by not folding legs when sitting .
• Diligent walking as exercise is safe for pregnant women .
• pregnancy exercise
• If you often have cramps during sleep , do movement on the relaxation of the calf muscles before bed . The trick is to stand about 60-90 cm from the wall , then lean toward the wall with your foot stays in place . Do it several times . You may need a few days to do it until the effect is felt.
• Sleep with your calf muscles that prevent depressed without realizing it : o Use a pillow to support your feet while you sleep on your back . o When you sleep on his stomach , put your feet dangling on the end of the mattress . o Try to keep loose blankets in the foot so that the fingers and soles of feet are not facing down while sleeping .
• If the cramps subside , provide heating on calf and lower leg .

Pain Management

• Eliminate the pain immediately following action (if necessary ask for help from others).
• Align the heel and toe, then slowly bend your heel and toes.
• Massage leg muscles were cramping gently and slowly.
• When exposed leg cramps when sitting or sleeping, try to move your toes upward. Get out of bed and stood for a moment a few minutes, until the pain goes away.