Dealing with psoriatic arthritis can be a double whammy. Not only will you have joint pain but there will also be flare-ups of scaly rashes on your skin. Fortunately, there are a few preventative measures that you can use to ease your pain and prevent flare-ups. If you take care of yourself as best as possible, you’ll be able to effectively manage your condition.
1. It Pays To Exercise
As with other forms of arthritis, doctors typically recommend having a regular exercise routine. When you’re active, you’ll keep your joints flexible and build muscle. Apart from that, exercise has been shown to reduce inflammation, maintain a healthy weight, and help you sleep well.
2. Drop Those Cigarettes
Cigarettes have been shown to affect a number of different systems in the body. Persons with psoriatic arthritis, however, should be concerned about how cigarettes cause an increase in the body’s inflammation. That would increase your likelihood of having a flare-up as well as your pain.
3. Your Diet Makes A Difference
It might be hard to imagine that your condition could be influenced by what you eat but there are enough studies to suggest otherwise. In fact, taking on an anti-inflammatory diet can help you to manage the symptoms of psoriatic arthritis. This kind of diet involves removing highly processed foods and replacing them with whole grains, fresh fruits as well as vegetables.
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4. Keep Your Stress Under Control
Chronic stress affects your physical and mental health. Not only will it affect how well you sleep, but it can also have an effect on your psoriatic arthritis. Too much stress has been shown to worsen conditions that are characterized by inflammation. To deal with this, practice stress management techniques and avoid stressful situations if you can.
5. Make The Effort To Sleep Well
When you’re dealing with a painful condition, you may find yourself in a cycle where you don’t sleep well, which then makes your pain worse. Researchers are still working to find out all the links between a good night’s sleep and healthy life but several studies show that poor sleep can affect how well your body deals with pain. Generally, a good night’s sleep starts with relaxing before bed and making sure that your bedroom is conducive to sleeping well.
6. Pay Attention To Your Alcohol Intake
As enticing as alcohol can be, it can have quite a few unwanted effects. If you’re taking medications for your condition, alcohol can interfere with how well they work. Additionally, drinking can interfere with how well you sleep and how your body recovers from a flare-up. Before drinking, talk to your doctor about what’s acceptable.
7. Relaxation Will Be Key
Even if you’re not under a lot of stress, your body can react negatively to all forms of negative stimulation. It can help if you build relaxation exercises right into
your day. Whether it’s deep breathing, yoga, meditation, gardening, or a long walk, it’s best to find what works well for you.
8. Use Cold Packs Or Heating Pads
When the pain rears its ugly head, cold packs or heating pads can be exactly what you need. While both can combat inflammation and pain, they don’t always work for everyone.
If you haven’t tried either of them, it’s good to see which one is effective for soothing your pain.
9. Take Care Of Your Skin
Of course, none of these preventative measures will help if you don’t make the effort to protect your skin from damage.
That means keeping it moisturized, protecting yourself from the sun, and using topical creams that can soothe irritation.
You should also stay away from any products that might irritate your skin such as certain fabrics and anything that is heavily perfumed.
Psoriatic arthritis can be tricky to manage because you’re dealing with a condition that affects both the joints and skin.
The good thing is that you can keep things under control by making a few changes to your lifestyle and paying attention to your body.
