The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Pain is one of the hallmark symptoms of arthritis. Arthritis pain can be so intense and constant it dominates your every waking moment and many a sleepless night. If the source of pain isnÕt tended to by a doctor, thereÕs a heavy price to pay: Studies show that muscle tissue starts wasting away after only three to six days of inactivity Ð followed by a corresponding loss of strength and flexibility, which of course leads to more pain. Unchecked, the underlying disease process continues its dogged work, which only increases the pain further. Persistent, severe pain from arthritis requires a combination of different strategies, a blend of different approaches that will help you prolong pain relief. Start with your doctor. He or she can diagnose the reason for your pain and determine whether there are symptoms of inflammation. If there are, youÕll be prescribed an anti-inflammatory medication. YouÕll also be prescribed medication for immediate pain relief, but you must understand that ÔreliefÕ doesnÕt mean a complete absence of pain. The goal is to reduce your pain levels so that you can start moving again. Your doctor might also refer you to a physiotherapist, who can devise an exercise program for you that will help prevent muscle wastage that can reduce pain by strengthening and increasing the jointÕs range of motion. An occupational therapist, or OT , can also help, especially if you have an inflammatory form of arthritis. OTs can have custom splints and orthotics made to help keep affected joints properly aligned and protected from further injury. TheyÕre also an excellent resource for all kinds of practical strategies for avoiding injury and reducing pain. How you meet the challenge of pain will in large part determine not only how well you cope with your illness but how much pain you experience. ItÕs a matter of pain management, a gradual process of learning to regain a measure of control over your body so that you can achieve some mastery of your medical condition, and thus donÕt feel so much that the pain is controlling you. Different people react differently to pain. Some sit at home and donÕt go out. Other people say, ÒI canÕt let this pain get to meÓ and they go out and do all kinds of things, trying to prove to themselves that they can do it, and finally crash. The key is to find the middle ground and learn to utilize your good strategies and minimize your maladaptive strategies. The first step is a tough one: learning to understand and accept your pain. Only then can you begin to deal with it. You have to be willing to take a close look at yourself and your lifestyle and learn to accept your limitations. You have to learn to accept that there are certain things you canÕt do any more, activities that will only increase your pain that will have to be modified or eliminated, and practices youÕll have to adopt to maximize your ability to do the things you have to do to maintain your altered self-image and self-respect. Pain-killers are a partial answer at best; they only mask the pain, and they can cause real harm by allowing you to do things that cause damage to arthritic joints, activities that pain would ÔtellÕ you to avoid. But, while no one expects someone suffering acute or chronic pain to stop taking medication, there are complements to drug therapy that help people take repossession of their lives. Some non-medicinal pain strategies Ñ such as rest and energy conservation, sleep and relaxation Ñ can achieve dramatic results, despite their apparent simplicity.
