Living with arthritis

Susan Griffin talks to readers suffering with this debilitating disease, and explores techniques for dealing with pain and improving day-to-day life.

Arthritis affects almost nine million people in the UK, yet very little is known about the disease, which causes inflammation of the joints. While many people may have heard of osteo-arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, there are around 200 forms of the disease, which, contrary to popular belief, affects people of all ages.

But whatever form it takes, arthritis is physically, mentally and emotionally debilitating. Sufferers must endure the frustration of finding simple tasks increasingly difficult, as well as face up to the potential depression, anger and isolation that arthritic pain can cause. Even mild discomfort can stop someone from sleeping, making them feel tired and down.

It's a condition many of our readers are familiar with. Bristol yoga teacher Sue Moon, 51, has suffered from rheumatoid arthritis for 15 years. The first sign of her condition was pain in her feet, which she blamed on new shoes. "I went through seven more pairs of shoes before I realised there was a problem, then it was very dramatic and it affected almost every joint in my body. I became completely immobile very quickly," Sue says.

"I went through seven more pairs of shoes before I realised there was a problem, then it was very dramatic and it affected almost every joint in my body."

But despite her illness, Sue maintains a positive attitude, which she says is partly responsible for her recovery. Her treatment includes a cocktail of drugs to help stabilise the disease, plus she practices yoga daily. "Over the years you learn to deal with it," she says. "On a pain level there is always something going on. You just have to come to terms with and get on with life and work around it. You get used to it, but I've had wonderful treatment... what with that and yoga, it works well for me."

Fellow sufferer Fran Pearson, from Warminster, was in her 40s when she was diagnosed with arthritis. Fran, 62, says she feels like her life has been given back to her since she had a double hip replacement about 12 years ago. "I felt like my old self. It was as if I had come out of a tunnel. I don't think I had realised how much all this pain had taken out of me," she says. "The problem with this type of pain is that you internalise it. You realise you're going to bore people silly if you keep talking going on about your aches and pains so you keep things to yourself." Arthritis Care, the UK's largest voluntary organisation working with and for people with arthritis, has the following advice for sufferers.

EXERCISING YOUR OPTIONS
Keeping healthy will have a big impact on how your arthritis affects you, so eating a healthy balanced diet and exercising are two of the best ways of relieving the symptoms of arthritis.

• Daily exercise will keep you mobile, ease pain, relieve stress and protect your joints by keeping the muscles strong.
• As with any exercise regime, seek advice from your doctor or physiotherapist first to see what exercise will suit you best. They may also be able to recommend a well-trained teacher who is knowledgeable about arthritis. Begin gently and build up gradually as the aim is to achieve a balance between activity and rest.
• Swimming, walking and cycling are all good options as they use as much of the body as possible. Water walking is another good alternative. This exercise should be done in wellheated, waist to chest deep water where a qualified instructor can show you how to make the most of your water walks while keeping them safe. As with swimming, the buoyancy of the water supports your weight and reduces the stress on your joints whilst the resistance of the water gives your muscles a workout.
• Yoga, which uses special postures to stretch, strengthen, and align the body, also includes breathing exercises and meditation to focus the mind and promote relaxation. If you have arthritis, a gentle yoga program may be a great way to keep moving without putting too much strain on your joints. A well-trained yoga instructor can show you how to modify the postures as needed.

PAIN RELIEF
Don't try and ignore your pain. Reach out to your family, friends and doctors and design your own pain management plan.

• Heat can help to relieve sore, stiff muscles and joints by increasing blood circulation. Everyday sources, such as a hot bath or shower, applying a hot water bottle or wrapping the affected areas) in warm material are effective. Other useful sources of heat can be found in microwave able heat pads, paraffin wax baths, thermal clothing and fleece-lined footwear.
• Cold can be used primarily to reduce swelling. It should not be applied for more than 15 to 20 minutes and then may be reapplied after an hour-and-a-half or two hours. Reusable cold packs may be readily purchased from your local chemist, sports equipment shop and even some supermarkets or another alternative is a pack of frozen peas. While warm and cold treatments can be an easy, effective and inexpensive way to manage pain, they can also have serious side effects if not used properly. Talk to your doctor first.
• TeNS (transcutaneous nerve stimulation) machines use electrical impulses to block pain. Get advice from a physiotherapist before you use one.
• Some arthritis sufferers find complementary therapies such as acupuncture, homeopathy and reflexology help them deal with pain.
• Arthritis sufferers are often under a lot of stress, so learning to relax is an important part of pain relief. Yoga and relaxation exercises are also popular.
• Another method of relief is to redirect your thoughts away from the pain. Find an activity that holds your interest-it can be anything from walking to volunteering-and take your mind away from the pain.

LOOKING AFTER YOURSELF

• Coping with arthritic conditions can be very stressful and lonely. Don't bottle up fears or anxiety. Support from other people is vital - and not just when you are feeling down.
• Damaged joints need care and protection. Notice which positions and movements make you more stiff, and avoid extra strain on your joints by rearranging your home or workplace, finding new ways of gripping or carrying items. Using special equipment may help.
• Accept help for heavy and difficult tasks.

As always, speak to your doctor before trying any new products.

Best foot forward
Arthritis in the feet generally takes the form of either rheumatoid or osteo arthritis. Both conditions can cause problems in walking. Normally, suitable shoes can be obtained in a high street shoe shop but in more severe cases, shoes have to be supplied through your local GP or hospital.

Pressure and friction from shoes are the main bugbear in arthritis cases together with a build up of corns and callouses over joints and on the ball of the foot. There are various products available on the market to relieve the problems caused by inadequate footwear. Modern products such as polymer gel tubes, gel insoles and orthotics can be used directly on the foot to relieve pain. These products can be removed at night and are hygienic, easy to use and washable. More conventional materials such as fleecy web and felt are also available but have a shorter life when used regularly.

Companies such as Foot Care Supplies (0845 2300 770) offer a comprehensive mail order catalogue of suitable products. They also have a web site (www.footcaresupplies.com) and a professionally manned helpline.

For more information on arthritis visit www.arthritiscare.org.uk or call their helpline FREE on 0808 800 4050