Six daily practices to live without pain

On the World Arthritis Day, a specialist takes advantage of the date of October 30th and gives tips on a simple and regulated routine that can end the discomfort of the rheumatological patient.

Joint pain, constant fatigue, muscle stiffness, redness in the affected areas, lack of flexibility and swelling are symptoms present in most rheumatological diseases. Patients want rest from this scenario and, above all, they want to live normally.

Doctor Dilson Marreiros, a rheumatologist at Imuno Brasil, shows that it is possible to live a life with quality. According to the expert, “early diagnosis is extremely important and can help a lot in the remission of the disease, continuing the treatment and a healthy lifestyle can also be great allies”.

Dilson reveals important tips to reinforce the World Arthritis Day. If followed correctly, they can help a lot the patient living with pain.

That said, here are 6 rules of thumb:

Create your routine: first you need to create a routine of healthy habits. Planning your day and always trying to follow good habits in an organized way helps a lot to lead a healthier life and also reduces daily stress. Such practices can contribute a lot to good quality of life.

Diet: we know that it is not always easy to follow a healthy diet, a balanced diet free from excesses contributes a lot to maintaining health and greatly reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases. We know that rheumatological diseases can increase this risk, so a balanced diet should be a strong ally in the rheumatological patient’s life. Some foods like green leaves, red fruits and wild salmon have some kind of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant property, so an interesting tip would be to add these foods to your diet.

Exercise: performing physical activities can greatly contribute to reducing pain. It is a practice that should be followed by all patients, in addition to avoiding a sedentary lifestyle, physical activity helps the body to release substances that are naturally analgesic. There are no contraindications for performing physical activity. It is always important that your doctor is aware of the type of activity you are going to practice in order to guide you in the best way. Some examples of physical activity that are usually better tolerated by rheumatological patients are: hiking, hydrogymnastics, yoga, dancing and swimming.

Psychological treatment: stress can considerably increase constant pain. Therefore, it is necessary for the patient to have this specialty in their multidisciplinary team, thus taking care of the mind that will not negatively influence the body.

Non-drug treatments: acupuncture and physiotherapy have positive results in combating pain, it is essential that they are performed by trained professionals.

Ergometry: for any activity that the patient will perform, it is necessary to have the appropriate tools, an ergometric chair or hand and foot supporters can be used, in the case of work while sitting down, for example. Always pay attention to the movements performed during the day, a correct posture reduces the chance of injuries when squatting, sitting or getting up, for example. Dilson Marreiros: rheumatologist at Imuno Brasil, graduated from the Federal University of Piauí (UFPI), residency in Rheumatology at the Hospital of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of São Paulo (HCFMUSP) and preceptor of the Medical Residency in Rheumatology at the Hospital of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of São Paulo (2019).