Get Out There!
There are different kinds of arthritis and everyone’s
situation is unique. What is your story? Where have you been, where are you now
with your arthritis and where do you want to go?
When did you first learn you had arthritis? What was your
activity level like? Where you more active? Have you stopped doing things you
enjoy because you are tired of being in pain?
Arthritis means different things to different people. What
does it mean to you? Does it mean an obstacle? Is it just slowing you down or
does your arthritis mean an end to a way of life for you? Does it mean you can
no longer do something you love?
When you examine your situation, has arthritis become part
of your self image? Has your arthritis become who you are? Does having arthritis
mean you have to start acting old like your grandma or grandpa?
And what did the doctor tell you? Was your arthritis treated
like a “dead-end” and did you believe it? Have you given up? Is this your just
punishment for the abuse you have put on your body over the years, or did the
arthritis sneak up on you like a thief in the night and rob you of your life?
Are you at peace with your decrease in activity? Are you
okay with not being able to do things you used to enjoy? Is your heart telling
you it is okay to live this way?
Why it matters how you
think about your arthritis
The old school mentality of arthritis is itself disabling. There
may be nothing that can be done to reverse the bony degeneration and break down
in your arthritic joints. Often times the diagnosis of degenerative joint disease
or osteoarthritis is treated like a “dead-end” because there is “nothing that
can be done” to make it go away, i.e.
there is no cure per se. How many people, after reviewing the xray or MRI
report have been told by the doctor they have arthritis, are given
anti-inflammatory medication and told something to the effect, “..it’s just arthritis..
nothing to worry about.” End of discussion. It’s just arthritis. Maybe the
sport you had to stop because of the pain, the high activity level you’ve had
that is now taking a nose dive, or the
stress you’re feeling because you haven’t been able to work out and blow off
steam isn’t really that big of a deal because it’s just arthritis. Gramma had
arthritis. You know it really means you’re getting old. Time to start acting
your age. Let the downward spiral commence…
It is common for this train of thought to lead to feelings
of powerlessness since “nothing can be done.” You may have lost hope, and have
true bereavement over the real loss that arthritis has caused you.
Consider a different way to think about your arthritis and
realize the truth-- that there is something that can be done. So you may be
stuck with break down that has already occurred in your arthritic joints which
cannot be reversed. It is what it is. However, you can likely decrease your
pain, decrease the inflammation, improve the range of motion, improve the
strength of the muscles around the joint, and increase your cardiovascular
conditioning. Doing all of this will increase your functionality and help you
get back do doing what you want to do. In the process you have moved from a
degree of dis-ablity to ability, from feeling powerless to being empowered,
from inactivity to proactivity. You are in control.
Change the narrative to your story. Redefine what it means
to have arthritis.
Use the means available to you. Break down your situation
into the following areas and set goals:
Inflammation: There are a variety of anti-inflammatory strategies
from ice, to natural supplementation, to nutritional protocols, prescription
medications and even steroid injections. There is an appropriate time and place
for all of these.
Joint range of motion and muscle strength: Keep moving and exercise.
If you are having difficulty with daily living activities, more intense physical
activity or having a specific goal in
mind, seek out a chiropractic physician
or physical or occupational therapist and stick with them until they tell you
they have done everything they can for you—or until you reach a plateau and
your body isn’t improving anymore. If
you aren’t happy with your doctor or therapist, get a second opinion.
Pain: Typically pain reduces relative to the inflammation and tissue
healing. Subsequently, a chronically inflamed joint will be chronically
painful. Pain is a funny thing, though it is no laughing manner. Everyone’s
experience of pain is uniquely their own. No technology exists that can
quantitatively objectify pain levels, person to person. Your pain is your own. Learn to distinguish between you pain vs. your
functionality. Learn to distinguish
between different types of pain: pain from muscle vs. pain in the joint vs.
pain from a nerve. Pain management can
range from alternative medicine to medication to interventional pain
management. Acupuncture is a growing field in pain management. Often times
mental health / behavioral health professionals can be of particular help if your
pain has been going on long enough for it to effect the way you feel about your
life. Assemble your own team to help you with your pain—this could include your
doctor, chiropractor or therapist.
As you regain control, define what you want to do. What is
your goal? Return to a sport perhaps? Maybe it is time to find a new one? Maybe
you want to simply return to your normal routine?
Remember, you are not alone. Seek out support and find other
people who share your experience. There will be good days and bad days ahead
and misery loves company. An exciting, new web-based community is about to be
launched at www.activearthritisgear.com
as a means to help you LIVE with arthritis. Details to come.
