Moreover, from pain to swelling or limited use of the joints, may follow other frustrations such as poor sleep, depression, anxiety, irritability, anger and aggressive behavior. The sufferer will discover that other daily or usual functions become difficult. Example may include inability to move about in the home, inability to shower, cook, have sex, play with children, inability to drive, engage in writing and attend meetings of peers. If the joints of the mouth and jaws are affected (temporomandibular joint arthritis), talking and chewing may be severely curtailed. Some arthritis, of say the hand and hips may lead to disfigurement and hence embarrassment. Some body parts may shorten leading to visible abnormalities. Social standing in the society may begin to suffer. Further, arthritis may affect one’s profession and leading to early retirement or simply limit one’s ability to earn an income. There are many sufferers that had given up on their profession because of the crippling nature of their arthritic diseases. How could a surgeon operate if his hands are crippled with arthritis? How can a bricklayer, driver, writer, a professional boxer, athlete and so forth operate to earn a living when their hands or legs are severely disabled by arthritis?
Now, that we have discussed the many faces of arthritis. Arthritis, as we saw earlier, is clearly not what the popular opinion and beliefs are. It goes far and beyond the usual migratory joint pains. We saw also that arthritis can cause a lot of disabilities such as pain, joint pains, swelling, poor joint movements, body disfigurement, loss of income, loss of profession and careers. We also saw that arthritis may lead to social and biological disenga-gements.
Now, we will take a look at what you along with your doctors, can do to relieve the condition of arthritis.
In our traditional way of lives, our grandparents may have applied cold or warm water and menthol to the joints which may actually have given a limited relief. There are other traditional remedies which may have helped as well. As we saw under the causes of arthritis, such superficial treatments may not have addressed such serious illnesses as blood cancers or such disease entities as sarcoidosis, systemic lupus, sickle cell diseases and under-performing thyroid diseases.
The first step in finding solution to the problem of arthritis is to admit you have a problem and you need solutions. While arthritis caused by malaria and typhoid may go away when those illnesses are treated, arthritis caused by osteoarthritis and overacting hormones such as hyperthyroidism or diabetes may not so readily disappear.
Look for a registered doctor of your choice who will listen to your story in detail. It’s highly likely that the attending physician will examine you thoroughly, take blood for relevant tests which may probably include as for in our environment: scleroderma, systemic lupus and infections such as TB. The doctor will also keep an eye on various likely cancers that may cause you joint pains. I elaborated on causes of joint pains last week. If there is associated fever, the doctor will determine if typhoid or malaria is the cause of joint pains especially if the pain is of recent origin. Other tests may include X-Ray of joints or CTScan of the relevant area of the body. This is even so especially if the joint pain, neck pain or back pain is either long standing or of recent occurrence.
Therefore, don’t be amazed if you attend your doctor and he informs you of a battery of tests that need to be done. Unattended, joint pains can, as we have seen, cause considerable disability in the sufferers.
Options for Management of Arthritis. Let me say right away that, heaven helps those who helps themselves. There is no doubt that your doctor will do all that he or she can to help you get well. As we shall see below, you may need to go further and be proactive in dealing with arthritis especially arthritis that is long standing or one that may someday become long standing. My advice will be that you should nip the disease in the bud.
Based upon the cause of the joint pains, physicians are likely to prescribe medications to relieve you of the pain. Not just pan killer, specialist doctors may be called for and such doctors may prescribe disease modifying drugs to help you deal with arthritis. That is only the starting point. Having been relieved, you may have a false impression that your arthritis is healed. It’s not except if the original disease like malaria that caused the arthritis is no more existing. Thus, you may need surgery to correct a deformity and remove a growth. Further, you may require food, herbs and mineral supplements in addition to changing your diet which a nutritionist may advise. Other means of dealing with arthritis include cold and hot media treatments, electrical stimulation and massage.
I found one method of dealing with arthritis (especially osteoarthritis) particularly useful, readily available, free to some extent and highly flexible: That is exercise which to be effective, must be structured, confront the pain and be regular. Exercise can be combined with hot or cold treatment, pain relief, massage, surgery, nutritional change and mineral supplementation.
