Traditional therapies for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) include medication, physical therapy, and surgery. However, while receiving conventional treatment, some lifestyle adjustments and home remedies may aid your recovery. Alternative and complementary therapies, which are not part of standard western medicine, may help.
Changes in lifestyle and at-home therapies can help reduce rheumatology symptoms and improve functionality. It’s critical to stay active if you have rheumatoid arthritis; if you don’t, your muscles surrounding your joints will weaken, and your tendons, as well as other soft tissue, would become inflamed, resulting in higher joint instability. In fact, flexibility, range-of-motion training, aerobics, and strength training are all recommended as part of rheumatology treatment.
Here are some of the alternate treatment options that you can try for rheumatology arthritis.
Acupuncture
Pain has historically been treated by acupuncture. While several studies have looked at the needle-based approach for pain relief, few have explicitly looked into rheumatoid arthritis. Overall, the efficacy of acupuncture for RA has received mixed reviews. Acupuncture for RA has not been found to have a demonstrable advantage in literature studies.
Tai Chi
According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, tai chi hasn’t been thoroughly investigated for rheumatoid arthritis. However, many studies were conducted before current rheumatoid treatments were available, so it’s unclear whether tai chi is impactful for RA. With that stated, tai chi, a low-impact exercise, appears to be safe to attempt for RA and does not seem to increase symptoms.
Yoga
Yoga has been shown in certain trials to aid persons with rheumatoid arthritis by improving physical performance, improving grip strength, and reducing inflammation — particularly the number of sensitive and swollen joints. Some versions of yoga have also been demonstrated in studies to alleviate pain, impairment, and weariness, as well as promote health, happiness, and standard of living.
Plant Oils
Plant oils containing omega-6 fatty acids, particularly gamma-linolenic acid, or GLA, may be helpful for rheumatoid treatment. One study found that these oils, in addition to omega-3 fatty acids, certainly relieve pain, may enhance function, and do not lessen unpleasant side effects in people with rheumatoid arthritis.
Turmeric
Curcumin, a primary active substance of turmeric, has anti-inflammatory effects that could assist with RA and a variety of other ailments, according to research. According to a 2016 study, there is scientific evidence that curcumin may help with RA, but the quality and volume of the studies evaluated make it very difficult to draw conclusive results.
