By: Maureen Wright
Have you ever ridden on a roller coaster and felt like you were out of control? LIFE can be like a roller coaster for those of us with Arthritis. There are good days and bad days. It is what we do with what we have—that counts.
Arthritis affects nearly 70 million Americans. There are more than 100 types of arthritis including rheumatoid arthritis and degenerative arthritis. There are numerous arthritis treatments to help manage the pain as well. Arthritis is a major cause of chronic pain and leading cause of disability in the United States.
Did you know that the word arthritis literally means “joint inflammation?” Inflammation and pain are involved in most types of arthritis. Aching, throbbing, nagging, sometimes sharp pain – arthritis hurts!
It can make simple, daily activities like opening a pill bottle, getting out of a chair or even walking difficult. There is no cure for arthritis but there are things you can do to help manage arthritis pain symptoms.
See your doctor: Know what type of arthritis you have. Early diagnosis is important to proper treatment and prevention of permanent joint damage. Follow your doctor’s advice.
Keep a Positive Attitude: Make a plan for managing your arthritis. Take control. Arthritis is a condition that requires your participation in ongoing care.
Control your weight: Increased weight adds stress on joints in your back, hips, knees and feet. Less weight will reduce this stress.
Exercise: Stay fit! Exercise regularly to build muscles and keep joints moving well. Inactivity can increase your weight gain and your pain. Exercise (even walking 30 minutes a day or 10 minutes 3X a day) can increase strength and stability in weakened muscles and mobility in your joints. Remember the saying “Use it or lose it” – Then MOVE it!
Relax your muscles: Stress increases muscle tension, pain and feelings of helplessness and depression. Try relaxing by tensing and releasing muscle groups. Start at your head and work down to your toes. Deep breathing also helps to reduce stress.
Use assistive devices: Specially designed tools, called assistive devices, can help you perform basic activities. Long handled reachers, padded cooking utensils, etc., are available in stores, catalogs, and online.
Avoid improper positions: Using good posture and good body mechanics will help protect your joints. Don’t slouch in your chair; keep your head, neck and back straight, your legs uncrossed and your feet on the floor. This will help you reduce unnecessary pain.
Move around: Don’t stay in the same position too long. Taking frequent stretch breaks will reduce joint stiffness and pain.
Respect your Arthritis pain: Pain is a signal from your body that something is wrong. Arthritis causes some chronic pain, but when you have sudden excessive pain after an activity, you may have overexerted yourself or have been doing the activity incorrectly. Listen to your body, learn your limits and take extra care when you have pain.
Know your limits: Rest when you are tired. Arthritis can cause fatigue muscle weakness – a deep exhaustion that makes everything you do a great effort. Give yourself permission to rest. Pace yourself – don’t overexert yourself on one project. Break jobs down into smaller pieces that you can do over a period of time with rest breaks.
With proper attention to these items you can manage your arthritis pain.
About the Author:Maureen Wright, RN, CRRN, CCM is the Out-Patient coordinator for Walton Rehabilitation Health System. (WRHS) is a leading not-for-profit comprehensive, multi-specialty, dedicated provider of physical medicine and rehabilitation. For more information visit http://www.wrh.org
Article Source: www.iSnare.com
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