Rest is also important for the joints affected by arthritis. Physical therapists can develop personal programs that balance exercise and rest. Many people find that soaking in a warm bath, swimming in a heated pool, or applying heat or cold to the area around the joint helps reduce pain. Controlling or losing weight can reduce the stress on joints and can help avoid further damage. When damage to the joints becomes disabling or when other treatments fail to reduce pain, your doctor may suggest surgery.
Surgeons can repair or replace damaged joints with artificial ones.
The most common operations are hip and knee replacements. Arthritis symptoms may go away by themselves but then come back weeks, months, or years later. This may be why many people with arthritis try quack cures or remedies that have not been proven instead of getting medical help. Some of these remedies, such as snake venom, are harmful. Others, such as copper bracelets, are harmless but also useless.