The Bare Bones of Arthritis

CaringTimes Celebrate, Educate, Advocate. The Bare Bones of ARTHRITIS Facts & Tips You Can Flex The word arthritis actually means joint inflammation, but the term has adopted a wider meaning. In public health, arthritis is used as an umbrella term for more than 100 rheumatic diseases and conditions that affect joints, the tissues which surround joints and other connective tissue. Arthritis-related joint problems include pain, stiffness, inflammation and damage to joint cartilage and surrounding structures. This damage can interfere with the most basic of daily tasks such as walking, climbing stairs, using a computer, preparing food or even brushing your teeth. Did you know? Arthritis is one of the oldest diseases known to man and has been discovered in the remains of people who lived over 500,000 years ago. Today, an estimated 52,500,000 t Americans, or 1 in every 5 adults are affected by arthritis As our nation's population ages, the prevalence is expected to increase Approximately 300,000 39.3% 60.7% children in the U.S. are living with juvenile arthritis of diagnosed cases are male of diagnosed cases are female The most common forms of arthritis in the Unites States are rheumatoid arthritis, gout, fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis. Diagnosis in the United States by the numbers: 27 MILLION MILLION 1.5 MILLION MILLION RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS (RA) GOUT FIBROMYALGIA OSTEOARTHRITIS (OA) The most common form of arthritis - osteoarthritis (OA) - is most prevalent in people over 60. Arthritis is America's #1 cause of disability 33% 1 in 3 U.S. adults with arthritis report having anxiety or depression By 2030, 67,000,000 5% 1 in 20 U.S. workers face Americans are anticipated to have arthritis limitations due to arthritis 1 in 9 U.S. adults with arthritis report limitations on their social life and feel that they are unable to participate in 1170 activites like shopping, going to movies, visiting friends, etc. Annual number of joint replacements: Shoulder:- 41,934 Hip: 232,857 Knee: 454,652 Other: 12,055 Annual expense of arthritis treatment and associated costs: $86,200,000,000 WARNING SIGNS You might have some type of arthritis if you have: Ongoing joint pain Joint stiffness Problems using or moving a joint normally Joint swelling Tenderness or pain when touching a joint Warmth and redness in a joint If any one of these symptoms lasts more than 2 weeks, if you have a fever, feel physically ill, suddenly have a swollen joint, or have problems using your joint – see your doctor right away. TREATMENT The focus of treatment for arthritis is to control pain, minimize joint damage, and improve or maintain function and quality of life. According to the American College of Rheumatology, the treatment of arthritis might involve the following: Patient education Nonpharmacologic therapies and support Medication Weight loss Occupational therapy Splints or joint assistive aids Physical therapy Surgery Getting enough rest, doing the right exercise, eating a healthy, well- balanced diet, and learning the right way to use and protect your joints are keys to living with any kind of arthritis. EXERCISE Recent studies have shown that moderate physical activity 5 or more days a week can help to relieve arthritis pain and stiffness and give you more energy. An activity that produces a slight increase in heart rate or breathing is considered moderate physical activity. Exercise can help: Strengthen muscles around joints Promote restful sleep Retain normal Maintain joint movement bone strength Reduce pressure on joints by losing or maintaining weight Keep bone and cartilage healthy Increase strength and energy Common types of exercises recommended for arthritis: Range-of-motion Strengthening exercises exercises Aerobic Gentle exercise exercises like yoga and tai chi The National Institute on Aging (NIA) has created the Go4Life® campaign to help you start and stick with a safe exercise program. visit: www.nia.nih.gov/Go4Life to find exercises, tip sheets, personal success stories, and more! Talk to your doctor Remember, pain and arthritis do not have to be part of growing older. You can work with your doctor to safely lessen the pain and stiffness and to prevent more serious damage to your joints. O 2014 Griswold International, LLC http://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/basics/faqs.htm# 12 http://www.nia.nih.gov/health/publication/arthritis-advice Griswold http://www.umc.rochester.eduEncyclopediaContent.aspx?ContentTypelD=85&ContentiID=PO0068 brought to you by http://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/ http://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/resources/spotlights/report-restrictions-social-life.htm http://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/resources/spotlights/physical-emotional.htm http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/arthritis/in-depth/arthritis/art-20047971 http://www.statisticbrain.com/arthritis-statistics/ HOME C ARE www.griswoldhomecare.com Call 1-800-GRISWOLD