Seven Joint Pain triggers that can worsen Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder that occurs when your immune system mistakenly attacks your own body’s tissues. It attacks your joints leaving you with pain, swelling, stiffness and fatigue.

Look out for the following Joint Pain Triggers that can worsen your RA:

• Do You Smoke?
  Smoking boosts inflammation, tobacco smoke contains free radicals that can put stress on the body and cause inflammation. Many RA treatments are ineffective for people who smoke.
• Are you putting off consulting a Doctor?
  If you notice any symptoms of RA, Do not wait to visit your doctor. Early detection and Prompt treatment can prevent joint damage, deformity and help progression of RA.
• Are you eating well?
  Indulging in more fruits, veggies, whole grains, and fish may help reduce inflammation in the long run. Foods rich in Omega 3 Fatty acids like olive oil, walnut oil, salmon, sardines may help ease inflammation and pain. Low vitamin D can worsen pain and fatigue. Make sure to spend more time in the sun and take some supplements if needed.
• Are you staying Physically active?
  Studies show regular physical activity can reduce arthritis pain and stiffness as well as over-the-counter medications. Movement is medicine but you need to remember to start slow, work on increasing flexibility by doing some stretches, opt for low impact exercises like walking, swimming, cycling, yoga.
• Have you been too active?
  Exercising is beneficial but there is no need to overdo it. High impact exercises such as running may cause pain in your joints or an RA flare. If you have been active all day, you need to take some time to relax, rest and recover. Rest will help cool your inflamed joints and help bounce back. Slowly, over weeks, increase the intensity and duration of workouts.
• Are you under stress?
  Stress, anxiety and depression are common with RA. The regular visits to your doctor, medical bills, fatigue, swelling, etc can put you in a bad mood. This ongoing stress triggers your body to release cortisol, an anti-inflammatory hormone, making your pain worse. You need to find ways to relax, sleep well, and meditate to help with the stress.
• Do you carry extra weight?
  Excess weight puts more stress on inflamed joints leading to more pain, which makes your RA worse. Your treatment may not work as well if you are overweight. Exercising daily, controlling your eating habits, may help you lose and maintain your weight.

Over to you
It is crucial to know what factors affect your pain. By observing the above triggers, you can take steps to spot pain or even prevent it. Identifying what triggers your pain is one of the best first steps you can take to prevent it.