Arthritis - The Value of Rest

If you feel pain and stiffness in your body or have trouble moving around, you might have arthritis. Most kinds of arthritis cause pain and swelling in your joints. Joints are places where two bones meet, such as your elbow or knee. Over time, a swollen joint can become severely damaged. Some kinds of arthritis can also cause problems in your organs, such as your eyes or skin.

All arthritides feature pain. Pain patterns may differ depending on the arthritides and the location. Rheumatoid arthritis is generally worse in the morning and associated with stiffness; in the early stages, patients often have no symptoms after a morning shower. In the aged and children, pain might not be the main presenting feature; the aged patient simply moves less, the infantile patient refuses to use the affected limb.

If you feel pain and stiffness in your body or have trouble moving around, you might have arthritis. Most kinds of arthritis cause pain and swelling in your joints. Joints are places where two bones meet, such as your elbow or knee. Over time, a swollen joint can become severely damaged. Some kinds of arthritis can also cause problems in your organs, such as your eyes or skin.

For the average person with osteoarthritis, there's no real need for extra sleep. (Though if it makes you feel better, there's certainly no harm.) However, if you have a severe type of inflammatory arthritis that affects many systems of your body, such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus that hasn't yet responded to treatment, extra rest can really help. You may need complete bed rest during flare ups to let the inflammation subside and avoid making it worse. Or, for moderate inflammation, two hours of bed rest daily may be enough. The idea is to continue your rest periods until you feel a significant reduction in your pain for at two weeks. After that, your doctor will probably suggest you cut back on bed rest. Then you can increase your daily activities slowly and cautiously, with appropriate support for arthritic joints that bear your body weight, such as your knees and hips. Here are some other tips.

Relieve pain promptly. Trying to tough it out without pain relief only makes things worse. Either rest your joint, apply heat or cold, or take medication whichever works for you.

Lie down. You may think you're resting while you're sitting and watching television, but your joints are in a bent position. (Ditto for activities such as driving and gardening.)

Ask your doctor if this may be advisable for you: Relax and stretch the muscles of your hips and knees by stretching out facedown on a firm bed for 15 minutes several times a day. Occasionally you may need to take the pressure off a joint completely to allow it to "rest" and recover.

Use splints and other aids. Using splints, slings, or similar supports also gives joints a time out. Just as a broken bone needs rest and immobility to heal, your inflamed joint may sometimes need the same. Splints, which you can buy ready-made or made to order, support your joint and keep it from moving. This may reduce soreness and keep your muscles from contracting painfully.

But it's important to check first with your doctor about using splints. Even though they can relieve pain, if used incorrecdy they can make things worse. Wearing them too often can weaken your joint and surrounding muscles. Or, for example, if you sleep with a knee bent over a pillow to ease knee pain (a kind of simple splint), that may ultimately increase your risk of a "frozen joint," or flexion contracture.

But depending on your particular condition, your doctor may advise that you wear splints during the night on your hands, wrists, or both. So be sure to heed your doctor's advice and only use such supports as directed. Your doctor may also advise the use of crutches, a cane,or a walker, possibly temporarily. Although using a walking aid may seem daunting at first, think of it as a handy tool for independence, not a sign of weakness."Helping Yourself Live with Arthritis."

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