How to treat rheumatoid arthritis - most popular methods

Looking for treatment for Rheumatoid arthritis (ra) problem?

As per research in medical science, till now there is no particular cure found. But there are some remedies and prevention methods which can reduce the effect of Ra and improve your life. In addition to that, there are some drugs and medication which can decrease the inflammation and pain due to rheumatoid arthritis (ra).

Click here to Read about : Rheumatoid arthritis (ra) treatment heat therapy in detail

Here are some treatment and prevention method for rheumatoid arthritis (ra):

1. Sleeping and Proper Rest

You should relax and sleep properly .If you are not sleeping normally, it may affect your RA condition negatively . Don not take stress and try to be relaxed. You can practice meditation to get relaxed

2. Regular exercise

Daily exercise  is a great method to reduce the risk of joint range of motion. Easy and simple low impact exercises like stretching , walking , swimming can be practiced.

But before doing any exercises you must consult your doctor because it can effect in opposite way also.

3.Cream/lotion

There are some topical lotion and ointment available which contain salicylates, camphor or menthol.

4. Fish oil supplement

According to some studies it was found that fish oil supplement also help in reucing Ra involved pain. But before using first consult your doctor.

5. Heat and cold

You can also use an ice pack on inflamed joints to help ease swelling caused due to RA.

 Cold can also help to slow down pain and help in relax muscle spasms. You can also try heating pad or hot towel to relax your muscle.

6.NSAIDs

Aspirin or over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can provide temporary relief of pain and inflammation. NSAIDs include ibuprofen and naproxen

So by applying above mentioned prevention method you may feel better and get rid of rheumatoid arthritis (ra) pain and problem at some extent.

IF you want to know symptoms of Ra and what is RA in details you can check out the below links

• What is RA?

How we can improve rheumatoid arthritis symptoms?

If you look around for treatment and solutions for arthritis, you will find dozens or more claims including dietary supplements, herbal oils and change in Diet chart. Experiments or medical research carried out supports some of these claims. However when you are seeking solutions to your arthritis problem; you should keep your senses open. What is so called low cost treatment may not always prove to be a solution. Or what has worked for one person may not work in same effective manner to you.

However for all of us, even though there enough medical evidences, there are certain healthy nutritional thoughts that you can implement or consider to help yourself.

List of  methods to improve rheumatoid arthritis symptoms from expert:

Reduce weight

Many researchers found that reducing weight helps. If you have osteoarthritis, your weight may act as a risk factor if it is more than the normal. Our joints bear body load. So if you lose weight, it will automatically ease the joints load and thus pain.

To a good reason, if your weight under normal range, chances of developing arthritis will also reduce to great extent. If you are seriously overweight or obese, then GM Diet is one of the best ways to reduce weight. In order to maintain the desired weight it is best to exercise daily which also include strength training.

GM Diet is a well known diet plan followed by people to lose weight in less time. Unlike other plan, this plan proposes to eat proper fruits and vegetables in such a way that your overall calorie intake is low. This forces body to utilize the stored carbs and body fats to meet the daily energy demand, thus producing weight loss.

GM diet is relatively strict diet and you need to be prepared for it. The diet runs on very loss calorie and protein. But the results are worth the efforts. If you want to go for GM Diet, consult your dietitian first or you may contact us. Ensure there is no nutritional deficiency during diet period by taking a multivitamin daily supplement.

Reduce Trans fats and Saturated Fats

Ongoing studies point out to the possible connection between saturated fats found in chicken, full-fat milk products, red meat, butter and chronic inflammation. Studies also found that trans fats or food processed from trans fats such as French fries, hydrogenated oil also are responsible for inflammation.

Monounsaturated fats, found in olive oil, are unlikely to contribute to the chronic inflammation.

Add vegetables and fruits in your diet

Bold colored vegetables and fruits— such as papayas, bell peppers, oranges pumpkins, contains carotenoids. Some research points that carotenoids rich diets helps decrease inflammation. A small study on rheumatoid arthritis patients who ate a Mediterranean diet which includes lots of vegetables and fruits and spices for three months learned that it enhanced joint function and eased inflammation. Researchers recommend aiming for four to five servings of fruits and similar servings of vegetables daily in your diet.

There is myth revolving around years which says eliminating the so-called nightshade vegetables helps cure arthritis. The vegetables are eggplant, potatoes, peppers and tomatoes. The theory is that joint pain and inflammation can be reduced by avoiding these foods. However medical facts do not support such claim.

Omega - 3 Fats

A critical factor in rheumatoid arthritis is dietary fats which directly affects inflammation. In this particular disease, body’s immune system unknowingly attacks body’s healthy tissues, joint in this case, resulting in rheumatoid arthritis. Omega 3 found in fish oil is known to have anti-inflammatory properties can be given in bigger doses. The clinical studies show good benefit in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

However the research on foods rich in omega-3 fats on RA is still under progress. 

Vitamin D

It has been well observed through research that people having osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis have been found to have low levels of vitamin D in the blood. 


 Almost all best nutritionist in Mumbai advises supplement to their clients to bridge the nutritional gap. Nutrilite Daily multivitamin provides 10 mcg or 400 IU vitamin D. Seeking out morning sun for 10 minute also synthesizes vitamin D in the body, provided you are not wearing suns screen.

Other Supplements

There are many supplements available in the market for arthritis. But only glucosamine and boswellia have some proof to support their use in the arthritis. Glucosamine supports healthy joints and boswellia along with bromelain supports the healthy cartilage tissues.

Since rheumatoid arthritis is an auto immune disease, glucosamine may be of little use. Use of anti-oxidants and omega 3 are the only ways to cope with RA.

Look Beyond Arthritis

Even though the above mentioned dietary recommendations do not seem to be contributing to ease your arthritis, they are all healthy tips that will certain your overall well being. These recommendations will reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. Those who implement these changes also are less likely to stay away from types of cancer.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment - Heat Therapy

Heat Therapy For Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment

pic source: Dietkundali.com

Whenever my grandma used to get muscle pains, she used to put a hot water pad on her cramps or pains. I grow up learning that heat treatment eases pain. That is true. Heat helps you bear the pain and relaxes muscles. The same treatment can reduce the Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) pain, Heat treatment is the most common practice use in India to ease pain and it is widely recommended home remedy by doctors. My grandmother was not a doctor and you don’t need to be either to use the  heat theraphy for Rheumatoid Arthritis at treatment. Here are some home Heat therapy tips you can make use of.

• Warm Water Bath
• Heating Pad
• Paraffin Bath

Warm water bath :

Taking a warm water bath helps relax muscles. If you have a bath tub, soaking for 15 to 20 minutes in warm water helps the muscles to relax. You don’t need to take a hot water therapy from a professional, don’t you?

A warm / hot shower can also assist in reducing the stiffness caused by rheumatoid arthritis. If there is no water shortage in your area, you can add to your shower, a regulating shower-head massager which is relatively cost effective and easy to install. This therapy can be useful in particularly winters.

After a warm bath, if you cover your joints with winter dress, it will prolong the gain.

Heating pad :

A heating pad is one more nice thought, but remember that in comparison with dry heat, moist heat enters more deeply. Although you can buy hot packs or dry heating pads, you can make hot pack at home tool.

Heat a moist folded towel on a hot pan for 10 seconds and you get your moist heat pad. Alternatively you can use a dry towel also. You can heat towel in a microwave oven too for 20 seconds. The time varies from type of cloth, thickness and type of heating source. Apply the hot towel on your palms before putting on your joints. This will prevent heat shocks and burns.

Paraffin bath :

Many therapists advocate a paraffin bath. In this an electric heated pot or small tub is used to melt the wax. Your feet or hands are immersed into the wax which is maintained at safer temperature. When wax solidifies again, the therapist insulates the joints with a cover to retain the heat. This bath is generally 20 minutes long; thereafter the wax is peeled off. If you are buying the paraffin bath kits for home purpose, talk to your therapist for recommendations. Make sure you read all the cautions before you use.

You also must do analysis of antioxidants such as vitamin A, C and E along with omega 3 present in your food so that you can increase or decrease their consumption to cope of RA. 

These tips may help you in relieving the pain of RA . I strongly recommend that  before using  these tips you must consult your doctor first.

Understanding Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)- Definition and Treatment

This post will describe clearly about Rheumatoid Arthritis( RA).  Definition of  RA in terms of Dietitian and how RA affects you .Click here for Detailed information on Rheumatoid arthritis 

Until current day many conventional cure for RA are available(check more on wikipedia). But most of them have issues in terms of their efficacy and safety. There are many alternative therapies available such as antibiotics, botanical, food supplements and dietary modifications which are increasingly being used and studied.

In addition, these alternative therapies other than antibiotics comprise a low rate of adverse effects. Considering such treatments as an option over the conventional treatments can potentially benefit many RA patients.

Understanding Rheumatoid Arthritis from a dietitian perspective

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is defined as chronic systemic disorder that is evident as inflammation of multiple body joints.

How severe is the RA depends upon person to person. Some people experience little pain and uneasiness, some experience severe inflammation including joint damage and deformity.

RA sometimes can produce extra-articular symptoms, including vasculitis, rheumatoid nodules, anemia, heart or lung disease and peripheral neuropathy. Even if the cause of RA is not known, it is usually termed an autoimmune disease.

It has been considered that RA may be an expression of the immune reaction to an infectious agent. On the other hand, a number of susceptible contributing agents have been studied, but none has been credibly verified to cause RA.

Picture  below shows, how Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) problem affects our hands.


Pic credit: Dietkundali.com

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) Treatment and Therapy

Traditional therapy for RA typically starts with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines, called as NSAIDs.

Recently, a similar class of medicine known as COX-2 inhibitors is also being used to treat RA. Severe cases of RA are treated with glucocorticoids which are also called as “disease-modifying drugs” (such as methotrexate or gold). One thing common in the above drugs is none of them cures RA. Other common thing is they all are likely to cause considerable adverse effects. While the COX-2 inhibitors enjoy a lower rate of gastrointestinal reaction than NSAIDs. 

If  you know where you are lacking the proper nutrition in your daily diet then you can easily prevent the Rheumatoid Arthritis symptoms. For that, you must create your Balanced Diet Chart with proper suggestion.

Many doctors and patients are looking other solutions for treating the RA citing the risks and restrictions of conventional therapy. The most frequently favored alternative solution includes nutritional supplements, antibiotics, dietary modifications and botanical.

Many researchers have observed a varying response to the treatments among patients some patients realize very little or sometimes no benefit, on the other hand some show dramatic progress to the point of getting no signs of RA for many years.

These alternative treatments have been adopted both as an add-on and an option to traditional therapy. Other than antibiotics, most of the alternative treatments have relatively no side effects.

RA can cause in late thirties and forties also and can be a severe and at times crippling disease. Since there are risks and limitations to the conventional therapy, many practitioners and patients are looking for other ways to cure the disease.

Alternative therapies such as supplements, dietary modifications are becoming popular now. While not every person has been benefited fully, almost all people have responded positively and there have been no adverse side effects also. Considering the facts these treatments should, therefore, be seriously considered by the people seeking treatment.