May is Arthritis Awareness Month
Arthritis is the Most Common Cause of Disability in the United States
What is Arthritis?
Arthritis is a name for a collection of over 100 conditions that affect the joints and musculoskeletal system. The diseases affect nearly 46 million adults and 300,000 children in America alone, according to the CDC. The most common form, osteoarthritis, is most common in senior citizens, but other forms of arthritis can affect younger adults and children as well.
Arthritis-related joint issues can include stiffness, swelling and damage to joint cartilage and surrounding tissues, leading to weakness, instability and deformities that can make basic daily tasks difficult—even impossible.
Understanding and Managing Arthritis Pain
Pain can be the most difficuly aspect of arthritis, but pain and its impact on your life can be managed. The type of arthritis condition you have will help determine the best way to approach pain management. Understanding some basic information about pain will help with whatever management techniques you embark upon.
Causes of Pain
There are several factors that cause arthritis pain:
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Inflammation— the process that causes the redness and swelling in your joints;
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Damage to joint tissues— which results from the disease process or from stress, injury or pressure on the joints;
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Fatigue— that results from the disease process, which can make your pain seem worse and harder to handle;
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Depression or stress— which results from limited movement or no longer doing activities you enjoy. You can get caught in a cycle of pain, limited/lost abilities, stress and depression that makes managing pain and arthritis seem more difficult.
Source: www.arthritis.org
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How the Body Deals With Pain
Pain is your body's alarm system that tells you something is wrong. When your body is injured, nerves in the affected area release chemical signals. Other nerves send these signals to your brain, where they are recognized as pain.
Pain often tells you that you need to act. For example, if you touch a hot stove, pain signals from your brain make you pull your hand away. This type of pain helps protect you.
Long-lasting pain, like the kind that accompanies arthritis or fibromyalgia, is different. While it tells you that something is wrong, it often isn't as easy to relieve. Managing this type of pain is essential to enhance your quality of life and sense of well-being.
People react differently to pain for several reasons. Physical factors include the sensitivity of your nervous system and the severity of your arthritis. Emotional and social factors include your fears and anxieties about pain, previous experiences with pain, energy level, attitude about your condition and the way people around you react to pain.
Many people with arthritis have found that by learning and practicing pain management skills, they can reduce their pain.
Source: www.arthritis.org
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Managing Your Pain
What can make your pain feel worse?
- Increased disease activity
- Stress
- Overdoing physical activity
- Focusing on pain
- Fatigue
- Anxiety
- Depression
What can block pain signals?
- Positive attitude and pleasant thoughts
- Appropriate exercise
- Relaxation
- Medications
- Massage
- Distraction
- Topical pain relievers
- Humor
- Heat and cold treatments
Source: www.arthritis.org
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Preventing Arthritis
Arthritis is a serious health condition, but can be treated or possibly prevented. Many of the habits that are recommended for a healthy lifestyle play a role in preventing some types of arthritis and related conditions. Some common tips for prevention include:
- Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet to help maintain your recommended weight. Women who are overweight have a higher risk of developing osteoarthritis in the knees.
- Talk to your doctor about taking vitamin and mineral supplements. Having insufficient levels of vitamin D decreases the amount of calcium your body can absorb. That coupled with lower calcium levels as you age can help contribute to osteoporosis.
- Exercise regularly to strengthen muscles around joints and help increase bone density. Exercise may reduce wear and tear on your joints, which can help prevent injury and reduce the risk of osteoarthritis. Increased bone density also can help stave off osteoporosis.
- Avoid smoking and limit your alcohol consumption to help avoid osteoporosis. Both habits weaken the structure of bone, which puts you at higher risk for fractures.
- Discuss hormone replacement therapy (HRT) with your primary care provider if you are postmenopausal. Many women lose bone mass during the pre- and postmenopausal years when their ovaries stop producing estrogen. One of estrogen's functions is to help keep calcium in the bones and maintain bone mass. Lowered estrogen level is a major cause of osteoporosis in women after menopause.
Treating Arthritis
There is no cure for arthritis, but there are many ways you can take control of your health in order to feel better and improve our quality of life. the treatment plan you design with your health-care team may include recommendations such as these.
- Exercise to lessen pain, increase movement and reduce fatigue.
- Alternate periods of rest with activity. Pace yourself to help protect your joints from the stress of repeated tasks and to help reduce fatigue. Learn ways to use your joints without putting undue pressure on them.
- Use hot or cold compresses on joints for short-term pain relief and to help prepare for exercise.
- Work with your primary care provider to determine the best over-the-counter or prescription medications that may help slow the progression of arthritis and ease pain.
- Always work closely with your health-care team to find the best medication, diet and exercise program for you.
- Visit your health professional each year for a comprehensive physical exam.
Source: www.arthritis.org