
Living with Arthritis
If you are diagnosed with arthritis (commonly known as osteoarthritis or OA) it may seem like the end of the world. You may be experiencing pain during your daily activities which stops you doing the things you enjoy. Don’t be disheartened though, many people live with symptoms of OA and continue doing the things they love; if not sometimes in a slightly modified way. The first step is to seek advice form your GP. They may send you for a scan or an x-ray to diagnose your condition. Make sure you ask questions about any diagnosis you are given. Many people come away from the GP unsure of what they have actually been diagnosed with. Read up about the condition and ways you can manage your symptoms and don’t be afraid to use pain medication to help you manage your symptoms. Exercise is the best medicine for OA and you’re never too old at any age to add physical activity into your daily life. Physiotherapy can help with symptoms of OA, a good physiotherapist will give you advice and education and work with you to build an exercise set for you to do that will help strengthen the muscles around the affected joint. A joint that has arthritic changes may cause pain, it may also become swollen and start to lose some range of motion. If you are worried please seek advice from your GP. The following link is a great place to get information and advice on the condition http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/arthritis-information.aspx