For people with arthritis, chronic dehydration impacts more than just outward symptoms such as thirst, headaches, and fatigue.
Dehydration causes an increase in joint pain, muscle aches and inflammation in the body. Chronic dehydration can become a bigger problem for people with arthritis, especially during summer months, when our joint cartilage may be more likely to lose water.
If you are experiencing increased stiffness, swelling, inflammation and flare-ups more often, proper hydration or balancing electrolyte and water inside your joints can help to relieve discomfort and ease symptoms.
According to the Arthritis Foundation, there are more than 100 types of arthritis, and related conditions and osteoarthritis are the leading cause of disability in America. More than 50 million adults and 300,000 children have some form of arthritis.
Surprisingly, arthritis is most common among women, according to data shared by the Arthritis Foundation.
While most people will experience arthritis pain on a spectrum, mild, moderate, and severe, flare-ups can be more common during the summer months due to excess fluid loss from sweat.
That’s because our cartilage or connective tissue that lines the surface of our joints is made of 60% water. Cartilage acts as a cushion between our bones to absorb shock and ease friction.
When our body moves, a gel-like fluid called synovial fluid is squeezed out from the cartilage on the cartilage’s surface. Synovial fluid is essential at keeping the cartilage lubricated, which prevents friction in our joints and helps to preserve our cartilage. A lack of lubrication can cause us to experience symptoms such as joint pain, inflammation, and stiffness.
Here are five ways to maintain proper joint health during the summer months.
Proper Hydration
When the weather gets warmer, we are all more likely to become dehydrated because our body naturally loses more fluid through perspiration. And when there aren’t enough electrolytes and water in our bloodstream, our bodies will try to get them from other places, such as joints. So, if our fluid levels and electrolytes aren’t properly replenished, people with arthritis and joint pain will experience increased inflammation, pain, and stiffness during the summer months.
Hydrus is formulated using nanosomes or lipid-like molecules made of the same material as our cells. Hydrus’ nanosome technology is the body’s “perfect hydration delivery” system.
These small hollow sphere-shaped molecules encapsulate electrolytes and water to start absorption the moment Hydrus touches your mouth to disperse water evenly throughout the body, including your joints.
Reduce Anxiety and Stress
You might not know this, but stress is one of the most common causes of increased pain. When our body experiences stress, it releases pro-inflammatory cytokines. As the name suggests, they create a reaction in the body, which increases inflammation. Prolonged stress and anxiety can cause your body to continually produce these cytokine molecules and increase swelling and joint pain.
Exercise More Often
Exercising and staying active is one of the most important things we can do to prevent joint pain. Limiting our movements will cause can our muscles to weaken and put more burden on our joints. Exercising helps to strengthen your muscles, which will relieve the burden from our bones in the long run. So whether it is walking, riding your bike, exercising in a pool or gardening, it’s essential to get some exercise daily.
Get More Sun
A vitamin D deficiency can also cause joint pain. That’s why it’s essential to get outdoors. According to research, vitamin D deficiency can cause a person to experience more pain and ultimately develop arthritis or bone problems. Getting about 20 minutes of natural sunlight is enough to help make sure you receive your required vitamin D dose.
Dust and Allergens
Everything from pollen and dust mites to pet dander and food can cause allergic reactions. Allergic reactions occur when your immune system overreacts towards a particular food or substance introduced into the body. One of the most common symptoms of an allergic reaction is inflammation. And any inflammation in the body will, which ultimately causes your joints to hurt. So it’s essential to know that you are allergic to and avoid contact with those substances to prevent inflammatory flare-ups.