May is National Arthritis Awareness Month, and an expert in Dallas County pinpoints safe methods to manage it.

According to Community Health Educator Natalie Peters, arthritis is a condition that causes joint inflammation, pain, and stiffness that is normally affected by injury, aging, or in some cases, auto-immune diseases. She indicates that there are long-term health impacts like reduced mobility as well as damaging other organs. Peters details preventative strategies that begin with simple daily tasks.

“Just maintaining a healthy lifestyle will really benefit anyone who’s dealing with arthritis. This includes staying active with regular, low impact exercises like walking, and stretching and gentle strength training. Just maintaining a healthy weight can really relieve the pressure on joints. And then also eating a healthy diet with lots of healthy fats like Omega 3’s can help your joints.”

Peters says to use a heating pad to mitigate stiffness and cold compresses to reduce inflammation and swelling. If the pain gets too severe, Peters suggests contacting your primary care physician as they will be able to prescribe a more individualized plan, then can determine if medications or surgeries are necessary.