Ways to Help with Arthritis Pain



"Winter either bites with its teeth or lashes with its tail."
                                                                       ~Proverb

To the many people who suffer from arthritis pain, the winter's bite and tail lashes are doubly true. It seems that the cold, steel edge of a winter breeze can slice into an inflamed arthritic joint, creating a virtual symphony of pain and discomfort.

The word arthritis comes from the Greek arthron, meaning "joint", and the Latin itis, meaning "inflammation".  It is the main cause of disability among people over fifty-five years of age in industrialized countries and arthritis is not a single disease - it is a term that covers over 100 medical conditions.  Arthritis affects people in many different ways.  How long the patient is affected and the severity depends on the type of arthritis.  Arthritis sufferers will find there are good and bad days. Most patients with arthritis will suffer from discomfort, pain, stiffness and/or fatigue.  People may start to feel frustrated because they are not able to grip things as well or get around as smoothly as they used to. What is important is that for most people who suffer from arthritis, this does not mean having to give up on an active lifestyle. With the right equipment and therapeutic tools, there is little reason why you cannot continue to be active and enjoy life.

Although there doesn't yet seem to be a cure for arthritis, there are many ways to help relieve the arthritic pain and discomfort.  One of the many arthritis relief products offered by Rehabmart is the Thermophore Arthritis Pad.  This is a heating pad designed to soothe arthritis pain by producing an intense moist heat without adding any water.

This is a high-reward, low-maintenance arthritis pad with many easy to use features.  Some very useful benefits are the Four-Stage Therapy Switch which provides optimum 20-minute heat treatments, and the simple one-touch off timer control.  The Thermophore Arthritis Pad is a fast-acting intense moist heat therapy for relieving pain and stiffness for hours.

The Thermophore Arthritis Pad has a non-shedding, washable blended fleece cover and comes in three different sizes. The small, or petite size is usually used for the neck. The medium, or joint size is especially useful for small parts of the body, such as hands, feet, shoulders, elbows or knees. In many instances, it is chosen by people who are smaller in stature and cannot handle the large size. The large, or back size can be applied to larger areas of the body, including the entire spine, both shoulders, and the legs. Versatility makes this the most popular size.
 
          From library.rehabmart.com   From library.rehabmart.com


Another arthritic relief product is made specifically for people with arthritic knee pain. The Bauerfeind GenuTrain A3 Arthritis Relief Knee Support centers the patella during joint movement and stimulates the skin receptors and nerve endings in the muscle-tendon transition around the knee to enhance proprioception, and decrease pain and swelling.
 
                   From library.rehabmart.com         From library.rehabmart.com


The knobbed silicone insert activates several key joint muscles while decreasing pain and swelling in the medial compartment.  It is centered on the patella through corrective wire in the knit during joint movement while the insert stimulates skin receptors and nerve endings in muscle-tendon transition around the knee to enhance proprioception.
 
                                     From library.rehabmart.com               From library.rehabmart.com


The lightweight, breathable and anatomical knit provides controlled compression to reduce swelling and edema and optimizes temperature regulation providing a cool, comfortable fit.  This product is perfect for athletes or more active people with patellar and arthritic pain.

You may ask yourself; "Do I have to be in pain?"  If your answer is no, then take control and don't accept what is to be expected because you are becoming a certain age where aches and pains are thought to be the norm. Does your neck hurt on cold, damp days?  Is your knee throbbing because you went for a walk today?  Maybe it doesn't always have to be this way.

There are ways to help ward off the deterioration and pain of arthritis, such as physical therapy and occupational therapy, which help maintain joint mobility and range of motion.   Also seeing your physician, who may offer a wide range of prescription drug options. If you feel you want more control, diet and body-weight impact greatly on arthritis.  Many experts say that eating a well-balanced diet is vital when you have arthritis.  Not only will you be receiving critical nutrients, you will also be either maintaining or arriving more quickly at a healthy body weight.

For those who suffer from arthritis, you know that it can make daily tasks more difficult and exhausting, but there are many products, techniques and therapies, which added together, can give you a much better quality life.  So live to enjoy and enjoy living!
 
To view more Arthritis Pain Relief products, please click on Products for Arthritis.
 
 
Bill Stock
Library Editor for Rehabmart
and
Hulet Smith, OT
Rehabmart Team Leader & CEO









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