Arthritis: a common health condition that can be managed with exercise, medication

Arthritis is one of the most widespread health conditions in the United States. Nationally, it affects about one in four adults, while in rural areas the number is closer to one in three adults. Personally, I feel that the reason the number is higher in rural areas is because we generally do more manual labor than city dwellers. We are more apt to change the oil in our own cars, mow our own lawns, etc. Rather than rely on a service or someone else to perform those tasks for us. While that isn’t a bad thing, those activities do tend to take a toll on our joints resulting in arthritis later in life. I could ask many of you if you can tell when it is going to rain or a front is coming through and many of you can predict, better than the weather channel that rain is coming. You can feel it in your bones! I, unfortunately, can do it, too.

Arthritis is a general term for conditions affecting the joints, tissues around the joint and other connective tissue. While there are over a hundred types of arthritis, specific symptoms can vary but usually include joint pain and stiffness. Each of the bones in our bodies is connected to other bones by a joint that is surrounded by fluid to cushion the blow from the bones bumping into one another. Much like a bridge that connects two roads; there is a gap between the road and bridge that allows the bridge to expand and contract during hot and cold weather. That gap can be compared to our joints. When the weather changes those “gaps” between our bones will either expand or contract, and, with arthritis, we lose some of that fluid or the joint becomes damaged and pain sets in. That is why those of us with arthritis can often predict the weather fairly accurately.

While there is no cure for arthritis, it can be effectively treated and managed. Exercise is actually the best remedy in early stages of arthritis. For example, most of you reading this article will know that I broke my shoulder in three places two years ago as well as this past February (both my right and left shoulder have now been officially broken). I was playing dare devil on a snow mobile, in Montana, and I lost. I hit the ice at 30 miles per hour, and my right shoulder bore the brunt of the fall. I did not want surgery because I had heard horror stories about shoulder replacement and lack of range of motion afterwards. I am predominately right handed, so I did not want a life time of limited motion on my dominant side so I opted for weekly x-rays, thrice weekly physical therapy once the bones had healed, and daily at home exercising. I now, two years later have roughly 99 percent of movement back in my right shoulder. I am currently undergoing twice weekly physical therapy and may be faced with rotator cuff surgery later this year, but am hoping that PT will correct the issues on my left side.

Now, I can definitely tell when it is going to rain, but being able to function somewhat normally is a priority to me. It is a long and painful journey but worth the outcome. The key was physical movement in that affected joint. I make a daily habit now of exercising my right shoulder and my left shoulder to ensure that I will have mobility in it for the coming years. The same can be said of a bad knee, for example. Daily stretching and movement of that knee will maximize the function of that knee for years to come. Examples of joint friendly activities are walking, biking, dancing, and swimming.

If you don’t suffer from arthritis, chances are that you might as you age. Just like a car, our parts begin to wear out with age. Unlike a car, though, it’s much harder to replace our parts than it is a car. Certain types of arthritis affect males and females at different rates. For example, osteoarthritis is more common in females than males, while gout is more common in males. Certain inherited genes can cause one to be more susceptible to rheumatoid arthritis and other types of arthritis. The genes are called HLA (human leukocyte antigen) class II genotypes. Currently, experts are studying these genes as well as possible treatments or cures for these types of arthritis.

While you certainly can’t control certain factors for developing arthritis, there are other factors that you can control such as weight, injuries, and smoking. Being overweight or obese can put more of a strain on your joints and make you more likely to develop arthritis. Maintain a healthy weight through healthy eating and regular exercise. Try to avoid injuries like “hot rodding,” on a snow mobile. Believe me that I definitely will NOT be snowmobiling in my future, or riding jet skis (in fact we sold our jet skis and four wheelers and bought a nice lazy pontoon boat that doesn’t appear to pose much of a threat to my remaining unbroken bones) Last, but not least, please stop smoking if you smoke. Cigarette smoking increases the risk of rheumatoid arthritis and can make the disease worse. It can also make it more difficult to stay physically active.

Treatment for arthritis is physical activity, which we discussed above, and medication. The safest medication to start with is Tylenol and/or Ibuprofen. When I broke my shoulder, I was given a short-term prescription for an opioid. My husband picked up the prescription at a pharmacy, in Montana, along with a bottle of generic Tylenol and ibuprofen. My goal was to take the strong pain medication to help me sleep and if I experienced strong pain during the day. I can honestly tell everyone that the combination of one 500mg Tylenol and one 200mg Ibuprofen worked MUCH better than the stronger opioid prescribed. I realize that everyone has different levels of pain tolerance, but the opioid did little to nothing for my pain other than make me sleepy and groggy. To this day, when my shoulder “acts up” I take one Tylenol and one ibuprofen, and my pain is gone. Please talk to your doctor or pharmacist about what medications may be best for you because, again, everyone is different. I am happy to discuss my experience with arthritis with you, and my door is always open to you. Call or come by Payless Family Pharmacy if you have specific questions!