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There are more  than 100 different types of arthritis and lots of confusing advice. Sometimes you just need a simple list of simple instructions to really find out what’s best for you . . . . hope these “do’s” and “don’ts” will help.

Arthritis – Basic Everyday Stuff

Make sure that you speak with your doctor about all of your symptoms . . . even if you think that they’re nothing to do with your arthritis they just might be and that will help him to build a complete picture of your well being. Find out exactly what type of arthritis you have (there are over 100 different ones) and whether any of your joints are already damaged beyond repair. Then you’ll have a clearer picture of what you’re dealing with.

Do a little gentle exercise in the evenings . . . I know you’ll probably think you can’t be bothered, but it will help you to be a little less stiff the following morning. Even whilst you’re watching the TV you should adjust your sitting position every few minutes, stretch and bend your legs, move your hand position and tilt your head from side to side. Don’t overdo it though, just a little and often so as not to overuse a particular joint and make it more painful.

Arthritis and Exercise

When you have arthritis it can be very painful to move around so the natural reaction is to stop moving . . . wrong, movement really can help to decrease the amount of pain, strengthen the muscles and increase your endurance.

Arthritis Exercise Do’s

• Focus your exercises on stretching, increasing your range of motion and gradually building strength
• Take part in low impact exercise, swimming and water exercises, walking, cycling . . . it’ll all help to control your weight and improve your mood
• Choose activities which build muscles around your joints without damaging the joints themselves.

Arthritis Exercise Don’ts

• Jumping
• Running
• Tennis
• High impact aerobics
• Do nothing!

Arthritis Medication

There are lots of different medications around for the relief of arthritis pain, and although the majority of them are completely safe with no risk of side effects you can never be too sure. That’s why it’s important to talk with your doctor about a medication plan suitable for your arthritis pain symptoms.

Arthritis Medication Do’s

• In the first instance if you only suffer from mild pain on the odd occasion, then medication might not be needed at all. You will probably find that by resting the joint and applying either hot or cold (hot will relieve stiff or aching joints and muscles, cold will relieve pain) you will be able to manage quite well without medication.
• Occasional pain which is a little more, erm painful, might call for you to take a little over the pain relief medication. Aspirin tablets etc are quite capable of dealing with occasional pain which may have been triggered by a little unusual activity . . . like tackling the garden after a long winter.
• Ibuprofen or Naproxen might be needed to help fight prolonged periods of pain. Ibuprofen will not only fight the pain but also help to reduce inflammation, aspirin will fight the pain but do nothing for the inflammation. Never exceed the recommended dose on the packet.
• If you’re going to tackle an activity which you kind of know is going to result in pain, then take an ibuprofen or similar a couple of hours before you start the activity.
• If none of these medications can help with your pain relief then it really is time to pay a visit to the doctor.

Arthritis Medication Don’ts

• Don’t ignore prolonged arthritis pain and symptoms hoping that they’ll just go away, you could already have joint damage which needs medication.
• Don’t overdo the over the counter medications. If you find that you’re taking this type of pain relief very frequently then it’s time to speak with your doctor.
• Don’t only think about the pain. One other very common problem with people who suffer from arthritis is depression, and by treating the depression with anti depressants or other therapies this can also help with arthritis pain.

Living With Arthritis Day In Day Out

So, you’ve been having pains and joint stiffness for months, you’ve finally been diagnosed with arthritis and it hurts like hell whenever you try to do anything . . . no wonder you’re not in the best of moods. Life seems pretty hopeless, things are only going to get worse and you’re going to have more and more trouble in managing even the simplest of everyday tasks . . . . what can you do about it?

Living With Arthritis Do’s

• Lifestyle changes may be necessary for a start. If you’re overweight that can have a big impact on your arthritis pain so you need to seriously think about losing a few pounds . . . don’t “go on a diet”, but make small lifestyle changes, step by step for gradual weight loss. If you’re a smoker you’d better kick the habit, it can actually make the pain of arthritis even worse.
• Behavioral therapy can help to break the spiral of self defeating thoughts and actions which drag you down, a combination of talking and modifying behavior can make a real difference.
• Writing it down can help, a sort of journalistic self help therapy. Releasing your emotions onto a page can actually decrease your arthritis pain.
• Acupuncture can be used as a successful method of pain relief for some people who suffer with arthritis, so it might just be worth a shot.

Living With Arthritis Don’ts

• Don’t smoke. I know we’ve already mentioned this in the lifestyle changes, but if you smoke . . . stop it. You might be under the illusion that smoking is helping you to cope with the pain of arthritis but it really is highly counter productive . . . in reality it makes the pains worse.
• Don’t be negative. I know it might be difficult to get your head around at first, but the more you dwell on your problems the worse the pain will become. Focus on a positive attitude using therapies like distraction or using only calming statements.