Get Out There!

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.