6 Strategies to Ease Pain Brought on by Old Man Winter

Eating healthy is just the tip of the iceberg

When you suffer from arthritis and other joint problems, these cold winter months can be excruciatingly challenging. Frigid temperatures can cause joint pain to flare up or intensify.

At Kayal Orthopaedic Center, our award-winning team of elite surgeons will do everything possible to ease your pain with nonsurgical treatments and procedures. However, when your best option for pain relief and a more active lifestyle is orthopaedic surgery in Bergen County, NJ, you’re in experienced hands and will receive the expert care you deserve.

When you’re in pain and cold weather is partly or fully to blame, winter feels like a never-ending ordeal designed to send you over the edge—physically and emotionally. Winter doesn’t just aggravate your existing aches and pains. It limits your exposure to sunlight, which is a natural source of the Vitamin D your body uses to strengthen your bones. Plus, in an effort to keep your heart warm in colder weather, your body doesn’t send as much blood to your extremities. When that happens, your joints aren’t as flexible, which results in pain.

Simple Solutions to Complex Pain

Try not to despair, though. There are some simple steps you can take that could ease your pain and perhaps even eliminate it.

Step 1: Eat right. Make sure to incorporate fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy grains and dairy products into your diet.

Step 2: Stock up on oranges, spinach, cabbage and other foods rich in vitamins C, D and K. These powerhouses are essential in the production of cartilage, the fine, rubbery tissue that serves as a cushion between the bones in your joints. They also help your body absorb calcium, which is important for strong, healthy bones.

Step 3: Keep moving. There are countless benefits to exercising regularly, including weight loss, greater flexibility and stronger muscles. When you maintain a healthy weight, your knees will be first in line to thank you because, among other things, they absorb three or four times more than your weight when you walk.

Step 4: Indulge yourself with warm baths. Warm water is like a gentle hug for your joints and helps relieve the pain that arthritis and other conditions cause.

Step 5: Follow the sun. Although your opportunities for sun exposure are more limited during these darker winter months, the payoff is worth the extra effort you make to get out there. You’ll produce more Vitamin D and feel a warm, pain-relieving glow.

Step 6: Drink plenty of water and nutritious drinks. Some choices, including coffee, tea and alcohol, restrict the amount of bone-strengthening calcium you absorb.

When you experience uncontrollable pain that affects your quality of life, it’s important to schedule an appointment with your doctor at Kayal Orthopaedic Center for the proper diagnosis and treatment of the problem. For all of your orthopaedic needs, including knee replacement surgery in Bergen County, NJ, Kayal Orthopaedic Center offers the most innovative treatments and procedures under one roof. We’re located in three convenient locations: Franklin Lakes, Glen Rock and Westwood. Call us today at 844-777-0910 to schedule your same-day appointment.