How to Prevent and Treat Arthritis Flare Ups in Fall and Winter

When the temperature drops, arthritis aches seem to flare up. Outsmart winter joint pain with these practical tips to keep moving in comfort.

Overview

• Know the signs of an arthritis flare-up
• Prevent pain before it starts with lifestyle adjustments
• Find drugstore relief with heating pads, topicals and supplements

Spotting an Arthritis Flare

Look for signals like increased swelling, redness, stiffness or tenderness around joints. Pain that keeps you awake at night or lasts more than an hour after activity can also indicate a flare. Catching it early helps you treat it faster.

Preventing Arthritis Flare Ups

• Make lifestyle tweaks to avoid arthritis flares this fall.
• Stay active with low-impact exercise to lubricate joints.
• Maintain a healthy weight to reduce joint stress.
• A balanced diet with anti-inflammatory foods can help.
• Stay hydrated. Staying hydrated helps reduce inflammation and keep joints lubricated.
• Get enough sleep. Sleep is essential for overall health and joint health.
• Manage stress. Stress can worsen arthritis pain. Find healthy ways to manage stress, such as exercise, yoga, or meditation.
• See a doctor. If you are experiencing severe arthritis pain, see a doctor. They can help develop a treatment plan that is right for you.

Heating Pads

Take the chill off achy joints by wrapping them in soothing warmth! Heating pads stimulate blood flow and help those stiff muscles and creaky joints relax. Just 15-20 minutes can ease the ouch. Look for heating pads with auto shut-off so you can rest easy.

Topical Relievers

Got an arthritis trouble spot? Massage in some OTC relief right where it hurts! Affordable creams and gels with menthol, capsaicin or pain relievers will give knees, fingers, shoulders and other joints a cooling soothing sensation.

Arthritis pain gets expensive, so save with the affordable generic brands that work. 

• Generic Theragesic, Rugby Pain Relieving Cream
• Generic Zostrix, Rugby Arthritis Capsaicin Cream
• Generic Voltaren, Rugby Diclofenac Sodium 

Joint Supplements

Support your joints from the inside out! Oral glucosamine, chondroitin, omega-3s and turmeric have been shown to keep joints limber and flexible, easing arthritis discomfort. Check with your doctor first about interactions.

Summary

With these tips, you can conquer achy joints this fall and stay comfy. Don’t let the cold weather slow you down. With vigilance about flare warning signs and some preventive care, you can keep arthritis discomfort at bay this fall. Use these drugstore remedies to manage pain if it does crop up and stay active!