Arthritis is an inflammatory condition and when it affects the knee, it can be very painful and very debilitating for the patient. Arthritis pain in the knee makes it difficult for the patient to move around and also limits one’s range of motion because of stiffness of the joints. There are many new medical treatments these days to ease the symptoms of arthritis; however, trying home remedies along with them helps you to get better faster and without any side effects. There are many individuals who have found benefit with home remedies for arthritis pain in the knees. We bring you some home remedies for knee arthritis.
Home Remedies for Knee Arthritis
- Rest is always important. Make sure you avoid putting excessive pressure on your knee and give your knee sufficient rest to heal from the inflammation of arthritis.
- The swelling in the knees can be reduced by keeping them elevated on a couple of pillows. Alternatively, you can sit in a recliner chair to keep your legs elevated.
- Gentle and low impact exercise such as walking, biking and swimming helps a lot in enhancing the flexibility and stability of your knees.
- Losing the excess weight helps in reducing the extra pressure on your knees and gives you better mobility.
- Heat therapy, as well as cold therapy helps in soothing the knee arthritis pain by relieving the inflammation.
- Steam is very helpful in alleviating any type of pain. You could try sitting in a steamy bathtub, as this will help your knee to soak up the warmth from the water, which greatly helps in alleviating the pain.
- Warm olive oil can be used to gently massage your knees for 5 to 10 minutes. This should be done around 2 or 3 times in a day.
- Make sure you drink plenty of water, especially in the morning on an empty stomach. This helps in relieving the pain.
- Drink a glass of warm water to which some turmeric has been added. Turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties which help in reducing the inflammation.
- Cherries are a rich source of magnesium and potassium, which help in fighting inflammation and alleviating pain. You should consume 8 to 10 fresh cherries a day or you can take them in the form of syrup.
- Massage can be done by preparing the following concoction: Mash 1 inch of a ginger piece and add 1 teaspoon of red chilly powder and 2 tablespoons of sesame oil and mix it into a paste. Leave it for about 60 minutes. Then, strain this mixture and the resulting oil can be used to massage your knees.
- Potato paste is also very helpful in relieving the symptoms of arthritis of the knees. Grind a small potato into a paste and eat this paste with a glass of lukewarm water. It will ease your knee arthritis symptoms.
- Cinnamon is also very beneficial in easing the symptoms of arthritis of the knees. Mix 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder and 1 tablespoon of honey into a glass of warm water and drink this every morning. Alternatively, you can make a paste with honey and cinnamon powder and gently massage your knees with this paste or leave it on for some minutes and wash off with lukewarm water.
So, you can safely try the above mentioned remedies at your home as they are free from side effects. However, please follow you regular treatment with your doctor and don’t neglect exercise or physiotherapy, as this will help you in getting back on your feet faster.