Ice Packs & Heat Packs

Ice packs can be used to soothe swollen joints and reduce swelling and inflammation. Similarly, heat packs can also help sooth pain by stimulating blood circulation, if you don’t have access to ice or heat packs then you can always opt to create your own.

Soaking a wet flannel cloth with warm water or cold water will work in a similar way to using the heat or ice packs, however, you should be careful to make sure you get the temperature right or you risk injuring yourself.

Massages

Massage therapy is another useful physiotherapy treatment that many arthritis sufferers find helpful and soothing. Massages can usually be carried out on your own, but you may also be able to go to a professional massage therapist.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is another useful treatment that works by stimulating the brain to release endorphins. A lot of our physiotherapists are trained in acupuncture and are able to carry out the treatments themselves.

Exercise

While it might seem a little odd, general exercise is actually quite helpful in reducing arthritis pain. Graded exercise is the best way to go, where you start off slow and gently increase as you go along. Regular exercise strengthens your muscles and joints and increases your overall fitness.

These are just some of the many physiotherapy treatments available, your physiotherapist will likely advise you on which ones they think are best for you. Living with arthritis is not easy but by using these treatments you’ll feel a lot like your old self again and be able to have a rich and rewarding lifestyle.