How to Beat Morning Pain From Rheumatoid Arthritis
Kelly Clayton usually sets her alarm clock so she's got an extra 45 minutes to get ready for her day. No, she's not a habitual snooze-button presser. Clayton, a 37-year-old PhD student in Rockton, IL, has rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The early wake-up is part of her strategy to curb the extra stiffness and pain that often hits her in the morning.
It's a common problem for people with RA, says Nathan Wei, MD, a rheumatologist at the Arthritis Treatment Center in Frederick, MD. Your joints stiffen up overnight while you were lying still in bed.
Treating RA: Questions for Your Doctor
You’ll work closely with your doctor to manage your rheumatoid arthritis. These questions are a good starting point for your next checkup. Which RA medicines do you recommend for me, and why? How will we know if my treatment is working? What are the possible side effects? Would physical therapy or occupational therapy help me? Does exercise help? What kinds of activities are safe for me to do? How are my joints doing? What lifestyle changes do you recommend for me? What...
You'll get your day off to a good start if you follow a smart early-bird routine.
Give Yourself Extra Time
"I'll purposely set my alarm early so I have that time in the morning," Clayton says. The extra padding gives her joints a chance to warm up before she eases out of bed.
Figure out how long it typically takes for you to loosen up and get moving in the morning, then set your alarm clock to give yourself the margin you need.
Apply Gentle Heat
For the first half hour, Clayton stays in bed, where she can soak up the warmth of an electric mattress pad. "It seems to help, particularly in the morning," she says. "I use it year-round. Even if it's 90 degrees in the summer, I'll use it on a low setting."
You can try other methods, too. Wei suggests you put a heating pad on your joints or toss your clothes in a warm dryer before you get dressed.
It's OK to multitask. Clayton usually grabs her phone so she can read the news while she loosens up. At night, place something on your nightstand that you can easily reach for in the morning, like a book, phone, or tablet.
Take a Hot Shower
After a 30-minute stint in bed, Clayton heads to the bathroom for a hot shower. On a tough day, she may follow it with a 20-minute hot-water soak in the bathtub.
"If you have a handheld shower head, you can apply warm water to the affected joints. Or you can massage your joints while you're in the bath," says Magdalena Cadet, MD, attending rheumatologist and assistant professor at New York University School of Medicine. This is a great way to boost the blood flow in your joints.
If you don't have a half hour to spare, even 10-20 minutes in a hot shower or soaking in the tub can help.
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