Managing Arthritis Pain.
Last updated Tuesday, January 04, 2005
About painWhat is pain? Pain is your body's alarm system. Pain tells you something is wrong.
When part of your body is injured or damaged, nerves in that area
release chemical signals. Other nerves act like tiny telephone wires
and send these signals to your brain where they are recognized as pain.
Pain "tells" you that you need to do something. For example, if you
touch a hot stove, the pain signal makes you pull away your hand to
prevent further injury. This type of pain is useful because it is your
body's way of protecting you from further injury.
Long-lasting (chronic) pain, for example the pain of arthritis, is a
bit different. While chronic pain is also an alarm that tells you
something is wrong, it often isn't sufficiently relieved when you treat
it. Controlling this type of pain is important since it can disrupt
your life.
The methods used to control short-term (acute) pain, such as strong
painkillers, are not useful for controlling the chronic pain of
arthritis. Other methods, such as those listed in this article, can
help. What causes arthritis pain? Many different diseases and conditions cause chronic pain. One of
the most common is arthritis, a group of diseases that cause
inflammation of the joints. Other common types of chronic pain are
backache, muscle pain, headache, and sore feet.
Arthritis pain is caused by:
- inflammation, the process that causes the redness and swelling in your joints
- damage to joint tissues caused by the disease process or from wear and tear
- muscle strain caused by overworked muscles attempting to protect your joints from painful movements
- fatigue caused by the disease process, which can make your pain seem worse and harder to handle
How does pain vary among different people with arthritis? Everyone's arthritis pain is different. A neighbor with the same
kind of arthritis may feel a different kind of pain. Even your own
arthritis and pain vary from time to time. There are no easy answers or
magic solutions to relieve arthritis pain. What works for some people
may not work for others, so you probably won't need to try all the ways
to help control pain described here. Through trial and error, you will
discover some ways that work for you.
People react differently to pain for many reasons. Emotional and social reasons Your fears about pain, previous experiences with pain, and your
attitude about your condition can affect how you react to pain and how
much pain you feel. Your cultural and religious background, and the way
people around you react to pain may also affect how you react to pain.
In addition, the emotional ups and downs of arthritis may affect your pain. If you feel depressed and stressed,
your pain may seem worse. You may get caught in a cycle of pain,
depression, and stress that makes everything seem harder to handle. Physical reasons The sensitivity of your nervous system and the severity of your
arthritis determine how your body reacts chemically to pain. These
factors also determine whether your nerves will send or block a pain
signal.
Despite these differences, you can learn to better manage your pain.
Many people with arthritis have discovered that with will power, skill,
and practice, it is possible to take the pain in stride.
There are many ways to help control pain. Some pain control methods
focus on emotional and social factors. Other methods focus on physical
factors. Using a combination of methods is often the best way to
control your pain. Is pain common? If you live with pain, you are not alone. In a recent poll (based on a
national survey of 2,002 adults aged 18 and older, conduction by The
Gallup Organization from May 21-June 9, 1999), nine out of ten
Americans reported they have pain at least once a month, and for 15
percent of them, the pain is severe.Can pain be managed? Many people believe pain is just a part of getting older and that
they just have to "grin and bear it." But pain is not necessarily
something you have to live with--it's okay to admit that you have pain
and to take action to relieve it.
Pain doesn't have to be a part of daily life. By taking action to
reduce pain, you may find that even routine tasks that have become
difficult--like bending down or opening a jar--become easier. How well do Americans manage pain? Even though pain may interfere with work, relationships, and daily
life, few Americans talk to their doctors about it. Did you know:
- Fewer than half (43 percent) of Americans with severe or moderate
pain report that they have a "great deal of control" over their pain.
- Fewer than half (42 percent) of people who visit their doctor for
pain believe that their doctor completely understands how their pain
makes them feel.
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