Wendy Green - 50 Things You Can Do Today to Manage Arthritis

50 things you can do
today to manage

arthritis

Foreword by Susan Oliver,
Nurse Advisor to the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society

Wendy Green

PERSONAL HEALTH GUIDES

50 THINGS YOU CAN DO TODAY TO MANAGE ARTHRITIS

Copyright Wendy Green 2010

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The right of Wendy Green to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

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Disclaimer
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this book is accurate and current at the time of publication. The author and the publisher cannot accept responsibility for any misuse or misunderstanding of any information contained herein, or any loss, damage or injury, be it health, financial or otherwise, suffered by any individual or group acting upon or relying on information contained herein. None of the opinions or suggestions in this book is intended to replace medical opinion. If you have concerns about your health, please seek professional advice.

To my husband Gordon, thanks for being so supportive

Acknowledgements

Id like to thank Susan Oliver, Nurse Advisor to the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society, for kindly agreeing to write a foreword. Thanks also to Jennifer Barclay for commissioning this book and to Anna Martin and Sarah Scott for their very helpful editorial input.

Other titles in the Personal Health Guides series include:

50 Things You Can Do Today to Manage Anxiety
50 Things You Can Do Today to Manage Eczema
50 Things You Can Do Today to Manage Hay Fever
50 Things You Can Do Today to Manage IBS
50 Things You Can Do Today to Manage Insomnia
50 Things You Can Do Today to Manage Migraines
50 Things You Can Do Today to Manage Menopause

Contents

Authors Note

About eight years ago, when I was in my early 40s, I began suffering from neck and shoulder pain and stiffness. I ignored it for as long as could, but eventually, tired of suffering pain on a daily basis, I visited my GP. I was referred to a physiotherapist, who confirmed that had osteoarthritis in my neck. She showed me how to do gentle exercises to help relieve the pain and advised me against sleeping in my favourite position - on my front with my head twisted to the right or left. Working full time in a busy college, I found it difficult to fit the exercises into my daily routine and for a while I simply put up with the pain. When the pain got worse after a particularly stressful time at work, I began visiting a chiropractor. I found that manipulation worsened my symptoms at first, but it did eventually bring about some improvement. However, due to the cost and the time involved, I decided this wasnt something I could continue in the long term.

I didnt want to take painkillers or anti-inflammatory drugs on a daily basis, so I began taking fish oil and evening primrose capsules and noticed a slight improvement. Ive since learned that working on a computer for hours on end makes the pain worse, so I try to get up and move around every couple of hours or so. Over the past few months, Ive found attending a yoga class each week, and swimming whenever I can, extremely beneficial; both the pain and stiffness have improved. Ive also recently begun applying capsaicin gel to my neck and shoulders each evening and have found it a great pain reliever. Whilst there is no cure for arthritis, I believe it is possible to manage the condition and lead a full and happy life - it is a case of discovering what works best for you. For many people, lifestyle changes and natural treatments alone will not be enough to control their arthritis symptoms; an integrated approach, combining lifestyle changes with complementary therapies and appropriate medications, is often the most effective.

Wendy Green

Foreword

by Susan Oliver, Nurse Advisor to the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society

This book is an excellent resource for anyone who wishes to take some control over their arthritis and to understand whether there is any evidence to support yet another of those well-advertised miracle options. The author balances all the information for you in a quick and easy format that allows you to dip into this book.

As a nurse working in the field of rheumatology, I know how vital it is that people with arthritis get the right information, which includes advice on drug therapies and medical management, at the right time, but also, just as importantly, advice on how to get the best out of managing the condition themselves.

This book contains many of the topics that people with arthritis need to know about, especially in the early days of their arthritis. The information on lifestyle choices, like diet and exercise, and the tone of the writing, which gives information in an upbeat and cheerful way, are aspects of this book that I heartily endorse. There is always something that can be done for arthritis, and this book gives the individual much to focus on.

Introduction

According to the charity Arthritis Care, over nine million people in the UK suffer from arthritis. It is the most common long-term health condition around one in five adults and 12,000 children are affected. Women are more likely to develop arthritis than men, which suggests a link with female hormones. One in four of all visits to GPs in the UK are in connection with some form of arthritis, and the condition is thought to cost the NHS and social services around five-and-a-half billion pounds each year.

This book mainly focuses on the two commonest forms of arthritis osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis and explains how genetic, biological, hormonal, lifestyle and psychological factors can play a part in the disease. It offers practical advice and a holistic approach which, alongside appropriate medical care, will help you manage your symptoms. Youll discover foods and supplements that may be beneficial and learn how to manage stress and relax to help prevent and ease pain. Youll find information about the best types of exercise for improving mobility and relieving pain and learn about medications and other treatments for arthritis. Practical tips to make everyday living easier and techniques from complementary therapies are also included. At the end of the book youll find details of helpful products, books and organisations.

Famous arthritis sufferers

• Crime novelist Martina Cole developed rheumatoid arthritis in her late teens. She believes the condition was triggered after she fell from a swing and broke both of her arms at the age of ten. The break in her right arm was the most severe; after it had healed she began to experience pain in her right elbow. A few years later she began to suffer from the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis - her elbow would throb with pain and her hand would become burning hot. When Martina was 20, a doctor warned her she would be in a wheelchair by the age of 40. She is now 50 and, through sheer determination and a combination of diet, complementary treatments and conventional medicine, Martina has proved the doctor wrong. Although she is by no means cured and she still has painful flare-ups, she has so far avoided severe disability. Her regime includes eating lots of oily fish and taking fish oil supplements, as well as avoiding acidic foods, such as tomatoes and red wine, and taking slow-release ibuprofen tablets. She recently installed a sauna in her home in the hope that the heat would ease the pain.