Pain of Arthritis
As we know the word Arthritis means Joint Inflammation . This comes from the word " Athro from the Greek language for Joint" and "itis" meaning inflammation . As there are so many different types of Arthritis this pain can be not only in the joints, but also in the tendons, bones, muscles, ligaments and also in the internal organs.
What is pain ? Pain is the body’s way of telling us that something is wrong somewhere and it needs our attention. Should we not listen to our body it could cause potential harm to the part in pain. Should it be your heart for example, you would definitely not let that go unnoticed, why then would you ignore pain in other parts of your body. It takes all of these parts working together in harmony to stay healthy.
There are two types of pain, acute and chronic. Let me explain. Acute pain is usually temporary, gently going away as the part in question begins the healing process. Examples of this can be a burn, a cut, or a fracture. On the other hand chronic pain, which a lot of people may have with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, tends to stay around much longer. Some pains may last for weeks at a time while others just won’t go away for months, years, or perhaps for the rest of your life. That is not good news is it. The good news is that you can learn ways of how to cope with pain and to deal with this right from the start, or at least slow it down.
One of the most debilitating signs of most types of Arthritis is Pain. Pain varies from person to person. For some of us including the medical profession this variety may be difficult to understand but it is quite simple as every person has very different pain tolerance levels. You may have ways of coping with pain near the beginning or even before it starts as you can see signs of it possibly coming. The sources of pain can come from different areas: inflammation in the tissue that lines the joints, from the tendons, ligaments, muscle strain, and also from fatigue.
There are many of things we may do ourselves to increase pain. But sometimes we may be just too stubborn to give in and quit what we are doing even though it is starting to hurt.
Pushing too far: We push ourselves to the very limit, trying to over extend ourselves to get the job done. When this happens we find that we are getting overtired very quickly and this is when the pain intensifies. Our body has been trying to tell us that something is going to be very wrong should we continue to push our body, and we need to quit while we are ahead. Learn to manage your time better and you will find the level of pain is much lower. Working smarter, not harder.
Relaxation: We do not take enough time out to rest and relax. Here again your body is sending signals to you to change your situation before the pain starts. Maybe you can learn some relaxation techniques, do some yoga exercises, or just go for a short walk.
Exercise: For some of you this may be easy but it can be difficult for others. Some of us would rather put excercising on the back burner figuring that other things are more important at the time. To this the answer is NO!. You need to exercise to keep the muscles conditioned and if we neglect that it will lead to weakness and pain. That is something you are trying to get rid of aren't you? This does not mean you have to partake in a marathon, or try to be a professional athlete. Exercise is one of the most essential things in pain management and something that should be discussed with your doctor before starting. Small steps at first until you get your body reconditioned is always a good rule to follow. The good part about exercising is the "feel good" endorphins it releases and the feeling of accomplishment that should make you very proud which will also bring up your spirits should they get down. Exercise is always necessary for helping lose that extra weight or keeping weight under control. Excess weight puts too much strain on your weight bearing joints and those joints are then going to wear out very quickly. Age has no restrictions here. Many young people these days are overweight as well.
Medication: Possibly you have been able to avoid taking medication so far, and I applaud you for that, as it is possible to control your pain and inflammation via other means . There isn't any drug that doesn’t come with side effects, some that may seem worse than the disease itself. Should you however have been given a prescription from your doctor, always take it your medication on time, never missing a dose just as your doctor has advised you to do. If you do start to experience side effects see your Doctor and ask his advise immediately when this happens.
Sleep patterns: Do you get enough good sleep during the night? Is the Pain keeping you awake? Most people with Arthritis have problems in the area of a restfull nights sleep. A few easy tips for this would be to: go to bed at the same time every night therefore getting into a routine, avoid coffee during the evening or even in the late afternoon, try avoiding those day time naps, and should you feel like napping during the day get up and do something entirely different for a few minutes as this usually takes the thought away. When doing your exercise routine remember to schedule it so that it is not performed within the last three hours before sleeping. Above all go to bed where there is quiet, lights out, no laptop with you, or your favorite novel, as this only stimulates the brain which will make it more difficult for you to drift into sleep. Listen to soft music as you fall asleep, soak in a warm bath before going to bed, and don’t have anything spicy to eat before bedtime. This can cause you to have heartburn or other problems you do not need.
There are probably dozens of other methods you can use as well that have not been noted here. These are just a few. When you find one that works good for you add it to your list. Pushing yourself to the limit can only make your pain worse.
Check on this site for other Alternative Therapies to explore and other natural means which may be of assistance to you to help alleviate the pain and inflammation of Arthritis. But please remember to check with your medical provider before trying something new or different.
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Information on this site is provided for informational purposes and is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professional. You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or self prescribing any medication or other remedies.
