Arthritis pain quiz: Are you controlling your arthritis symptoms?

Exercise benefits people with arthritis in many ways. Exercise strengthens the muscles around your joints and keeps your bones strong. Not only can the right amount of regular exercise reduce the pain and stiffness in your joints, it also improves your overall health.

Exercise can be helpful in relieving daily arthritis pain, but the occasional flare of signs and symptoms is a good time to rest. Gentle range-of-motion exercises are best when you're experiencing a flare. Your doctor or physical therapist can show you some gentle movements.

Protect your joints by avoiding activities that could cause pain. Don't sit in the same position for hours at a time if you know it will cause stiffness in your joints. Get up every so often and stretch. Use an assistive device to open a jar, rather than putting the stress on your arthritic hands.

Your attitude influences how your arthritis pain affects your life. Focusing on your pain and letting it depress you can make your pain feel worse. Distracting yourself from your pain and having a positive attitude can block pain signals and make you feel better. Pay attention to how your emotions affect your arthritis pain, and use this knowledge to help manage your pain.

Heat treatments provide soothing relief for tense muscles around your joints. Heat treatments also stimulate blood flow around your joints. Heat treatments include dry heat, such as a heating pad, and moist heat, such as a warm washcloth. Apply heat for 15 to 20 minutes at a time. Don't make the heat too hot, though, or you could injure your skin.

How much sleep is enough is different for everyone. In general, most people need between seven hours and nine hours of sleep each night. Waking rested gives you the energy you need to better manage your arthritis pain. Sleep gives your joints a break from activity that increases pain. If you're having trouble sleeping, relax before bed with quiet reading time or a warm bath. Stick to a sleep schedule so that you go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Talk to your doctor if you're having trouble sleeping.

Massage soothes and relaxes tense and sore muscles, reducing the strain on your joints. If you don't have the money to visit a professional massage therapist who is trained in giving massages to people with arthritis, try giving yourself a mini-massage. Apply light pressure to your skin to manipulate your muscles. Use lotion or oil to help your hands move smoothly over your skin. Stop if you feel pain. Don't use massage during a flare, when joints are particularly swollen and painful.

Relaxation encompasses more than just resting your sore joints. Consider activities that can help relax your soul, such as guided imagery, prayer or hypnosis. There's no best way to relieve your stress. Pick a method that works best for you. Total relaxation can reinvigorate you and enable you to better cope with your arthritis pain.

Most people with arthritis pain won't need surgery to repair their damaged joints. Many other treatments are available, so surgery isn't inevitable. However, if other treatments fail to provide you with relief from your arthritis pain or if you have difficulty using your joints, you may require surgery. Talk to your doctor about your arthritis pain relief options.

When you experience chronic pain, like that of arthritis, it's easy to think you have little control over your signs and symptoms. But you can take control by not letting your arthritis pain take over your thoughts and interfere with your day. Distract yourself from your pain by focusing on something else, like a hobby. Try to reframe your thoughts about your pain and think positively.