Living with rheumatoid arthritis can feel like a never-ending cycle of pain. Pain takes away the enjoyable parts of life, reducing mobility and making simple tasks feel like major obstacles. Less range of motion means less movement, which leads to more stiffness and discomfort. As pain persists, more drugs become the only solution, often with side effects that just add to the struggle. Does all this sound familiar?
It doesn’t have to be this way though. There are natural ways to manage RA pain and reclaim your mobility without relying solely on medication.
We find that people that do these 5 things that are explained in this article tend to maintain their pain better and stay there longer.
Here are five key ways to manage RA pain naturally:
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1. Book Your Medical Massage Treatment
Soft tissue therapy is one of the best treatments for rheumatoid arthritis, helping to relieve muscle tension, lowering cortisol effectively (which is another point we will talk about later on), and support joint mobility. Specific techniques for RA pain relief include:
- Myofascial release for RA – Gently stretches and loosens tight connective tissues.
- Lymphatic drainage massage for arthritis – Lets the waste from inflammation leave the body.
- Trigger point therapy for rheumatoid arthritis – Releases muscle knots caused by joint strain.
These massage techniques promote blood flow and flexibility, making movement easier and less painful.
Adding heat to your treatments (which will also be talked about in a later point) will also really help the effectiveness of your session.
2. Prioritize Stretching
When joints are stiff, muscles around them tighten, leading to even more discomfort. Stretching is one of the best ways to improve joint mobility with RA and keep muscles flexible. Some of the best stretches for rheumatoid arthritis focus on:
- Hand and wrist stretches to maintain grip strength.
- Hip and knee stretches to reduce stiffness in weight-bearing joints.
- Neck and shoulder stretches to ease upper body tension.
We don’t want you to just stretch until your muscle won’t let you though. You want to find a range of motion that doesn’t hurt, go a little past this (right before pain is felt) and release. Do this until a new ROM is unlocked – This is the best way to make progress with virtually zero side effects.
We find that when starting a new stretch routine, aim for 3 sessions a week and build your some aspect of your routine. Ex: Week 1: Days – M/W/F 2 sets, Week 2: M/W/F 3 sets, etc. Things you can build – sets, more ROM, less pain, more time in your stretch.
3. Move, Move, Move!
It might seem counterintuitive, but movement is essential for RA pain relief. Staying active prevents joints from becoming too stiff and keeps muscles strong enough to support them. Some of the best exercises for rheumatoid arthritis pain include:
- Swimming – Great load bearing exercise with little to no impact on joints
- Yoga – Combines gentle stretching and relaxation.
- Walking – A low-impact way to maintain mobility.
Even light movement throughout the day can make a big difference. Try not to sit or stay in one position for too long—small movements add up!
4. Use Heat Therapy
When deciding between heat vs. cold therapy for RA, heat therapy is often the best choice for relaxing stiff joints. Applying warmth helps loosen muscles and improve circulation. Try:
- Heating pads on sore joints.
- Warm baths or showers to soothe stiffness.
- Warm rice exercises to get blood flow to hands
Cold therapy can be useful during acute flare-ups, but heat therapy is best for chronic RA stiffness.
Just like kung fu masters do, rice hand exercises are very effective at keeping the hands strong. All you have to do in this instance is heat up some uncooked rice in a bowl, and move your hand around within the rice. Click here for a video.
5. Reduce Cortisol and Stress
Stress can trigger inflammation and worsen symptoms. Lowering cortisol levels is key to managing RA naturally. Helpful techniques include that lower cortisol are:
- Soft Tissue therapy
- Deep breathing exercises
- Mindfulness and meditation
- Doing things that naturally calm you (listening to music, reading, etc.).
By controlling stress, you can reduce the frequency and severity of RA flare-ups.
Let’s wrap up your RA checklist:
– Book your soft tissue treatment to address your RA pain.
– Develop a stretching protocol to help keep your muscles loosened
– Prioritize moving above all else. Motion is lotion!
– Use heat to ease muscle pain and move fresh blood around the body and joints
– Reduce your stress and cortisol with soft tissue therapy, meditation and things that you like doing (books or listening to music)
Nagging RA pain and discomfort is not something that you have to deal with or let progress.
At Body in Gear, we take away the pain that makes life less enjoyable with arthritis pain, give you back the range of motion that makes moving less easy, and give you a pain free alternative to drugs.
Use this guide to help your RA pain and symptoms quickly!