It’s likely, that if you hear someone mention the word Arthritis, you immediately think of Rheumatoid or possibly Osteoarthritis, two of the most common arthralgia. Did you know that there are actually over 100 different forms of arthritis?  Some forms are a direct result of another disease such as Lyme disease.  Some of these, you may have heard of but didn’t realize it was an arthritis.  Here’s a short list.

• Gout
• Ankylosing Spondylitis
• Sjogren’s  Syndrome
• Raynaud’s

Arthritis is a serious, complex, musculoskeletal disease that is characterized as pain, stiffness and inflammation, along with joint and cartilage damage.  While it primarily affects the joints, it can potentially cause problems with just about any organ in the body, including the skin and blood vessels as in Ehlers Danlos Syndrome.  Arthritis is the number one cause of disability in the United States and affects more than 50 million people each year. There are so many myths surrounding this disease.  For example, ‘ Arthritis is just something everyone will get eventually’ or, ‘ There is nothing that can be done about arthritis so why make an effort to fix it? and finally, ‘Arthritis is not that big of a deal’. The truth is Arthritis is extremely painful and very much a big deal.  There are many things that can be done to help those who suffer with arthritis.  If you are an arthritis sufferer, one of the most important things you can do is educate yourself.  There are so many great resources on the internet today like Arthritis.org. Here are a few tips for living better with arthritis:

• Did you know that for every one pound of weight you lose, you take 4 pounds of pressure off your knees?  That’s significant and might be a great motivator to get in shape.  “According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services there is strong evidence indicating that both endurance and resistance types of exercise provide considerable disease-specific benefits for people with osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatic conditions.” (arthritis.org)
• Try a variety of pain relief plans to find one that fits you best.  Here are a few ideas to try:
  • Warm baths
  • Alternating hot and cold water soaks.  Fill one sink with hot water and another with cold.  Soak the affected joint for 3-4 minutes in each.
  • Try a hot paraffin wax coating.  This might be risky to try at home but your local spa typically offers this treatment.
  • Low level, warm wraps are a popular trend right now.  The heat can last up to 8 hours.
  • Over the counter pain relievers such as Ibuprofen and Tylenol.
• Exercise
• Balance your life and rest when needed

These are just a few ideas to try right now at home.  Your upper extremity doctor, like the ones at Idaho Hand Institute can help you with your pain and devise a plan for a better quality of living.