10 Simple Ways to Manage Arthritis

Take Charge of Your Arthritis Pain

By Dan Fields

If you’re one of the estimated 27 million Americans with osteoarthritis, you know what it’s like to live with stiff, swollen, and painful joints. Caused by the breakdown of bone-protective cartilage in your joints, osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis and typically affects the hands, knees, and hips. (Rheumatoid arthritis, which affects another 1.3 million Americans, is an autoimmune disorder that can also affect the heart and lungs.)

Anti-inflammatory drugs are mainstays of osteoarthritis treatment. But what you eat, how you move, and how you handle stress can also make a big difference in how you feel. Keep reading to learn 10 simple steps to help keep osteoarthritis in check.

Dan Fields is a freelance health writer in the Boston area. He is the former editor in chief of “Dr. Andrew Weil’s Self Healing” newsletter.