Relieving osteoarthritis pain ....

In trying to cope with having osteoarthritis,
the first thing that one should do is to try to
relieve the pain.

The common methods to relieve pain are :

---  eat well and eat wisely
---  keep a diary of the pain
---  always get a good sleep
---  do not stay in the same position for too long
---  do exercises to strenghten the muscles
---  always maintain a healthy, balanced weight
---  have regular warm baths and hot soaks
---  using topical analgesic creams in early osteo

The above are what you can do on your own
to overcome the pain and stiffness related to
osteoarthritis.

As for the doctor, the common prescriptions are :

---  over-the-counter pain relievers
---  non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

What one should realise is that arthritic conditions
will be there for a long time....... usually for life
...... and needs constant monitoring and treatment.

As such, it is imperative that you establish a good
working relationship with your doctor to find a
care that is best suited for you to relieve, contain
and possibly overcome the pain.

Apart from physical pain, the other aspect that
should be considered is the mental pain.

Any osteoarthritis sufferer will have thoughts like :

---  what if the stiffness become worse ?
---  what if I cannot move my fingers in future ?
---  what happens if I can't bend or straighten them ?

All these negative thinking will somehow surface
at one time or another, since fear will arise that
one would not be able to use the hand as normally
and as effectively as before.

For example, some people will fear that they
cannot type properly on the computer keyboard,
........some will fear the inability to hold onto
the car steering wheel ..... some fear that they
cannot have a tight grip on the sports racquet
...... some will fear the pain and stiffness will
affect the way they hold their pen in writing
..... and worst, some unknowledgeable folks
may even fear that they will end up with a
stroke !

Thus, in trying to relieve the pain associated
with osteoarthritis, it is important that one
should not only focus on the physical pain,
but also on the mental pain and agony too.

This will certainly create a better pain-management
and pain-relieving strategy for the longer term .