Individuals who need to seek arthritis treatment for pain often experience discomfort throughout the winter. The reason behind this is believed to be due to a more inactive lifestyle and the change in the barometric pressure, both of which result in joints stiffening and swelling more often than any other season of the year. Thankfully, if you are an arthritis sufferer, there are a few things that you can do to relieve some of your discomfort that you experience during the wintertime. Here are four of them.

1. Bundle Up When You Head Outside

One thing you need to remember when you have arthritis is that you need to keep your core body temperature up. You also want to ensure that your sore joints aren't exposed to cold temperature. You can do both of these by dressing in layers and warm clothes during the wintertime. If you plan on going outside, make sure that you have on wool socks, boots, a scarf, a hat, and mittens. The more covered you are and the warmer you are, the better you will be able to move your body.

2. Keep Yourself Active

Stretching and strengthening the muscles around your sore joints is the most effective thing you can do to relieve arthritis discomfort. Of course, it isn't as easy to stay active when the winter outside is cold and nasty, but you can still keep moving. For example, if you are involved in an arthritis treatment program, there are likely indoor activities that you can perform that will keep flare-ups at bay, such as the treadmill, elliptical, stationary bike, and even laps in a heated pool.

3. Drinks Lots of Liquids

If you allow yourself to get dehydrated, your body will become more vulnerable to pain. Therefore, it is imperative that you drink plenty of liquids throughout the day. Water is the best beverage, but you may want to also consider warm drinks like peppermint tea. Warm beverages can help keep your body warm in addition to maintaining your hydration.

4. Consider Scheduling a Massage

Massage therapy is yet another way to relieve the pain and discomfort that you are experiencing with your arthritis. Massage can help manage joint stiffness, reduce inflammation of the joints, and ease muscle cramps. If you get massages on a regular basis, you may start sleeping better, which may also alleviate your aching joints.

For more information arthritis treatments and how you can alleviate your arthritis pain and discomfort, talk to your doctor.