Let’s Talk About Achy Joints

What Is Arthritis?

Think of your joints like the hinges on a door. When they work well, everything opens and closes smoothly. However, with arthritis, those affected joints can become swollen, stiff, and sometimes experience more pain. These symptoms can make everyday tasks, like getting dressed or going for a walk, a bit more challenging. These are classic arthritis symptoms.

The good news? Learning about arthritis and chatting with your doctor if your joints are bothering you is a huge first step. Taking care of your joints early helps keep them healthier for as long as possible.

The Main Types of Arthritis

There are many kinds of arthritis, but let’s talk about a few common ones you might hear about:

Osteoarthritis (OA): The “Wear and Tear” One

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. Imagine the soft cushion between the bones (it’s called cartilage) of one or more joints slowly wearing down, like the treads on an old tire. When the cushion becomes thin, the bones can rub against each other, with common signs including pain, stiffness, and swelling. This thinning of the cushion often occurs in weight-bearing joints, such as your knees and hips, or even your hands. This condition is also known as degenerative joint disease. It’s more common as we get older, but old joint injuries can also lead to it in younger years. Make sure to tell your doctor of any medical history or environmental factors that may have caused an injury.

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA): When Your Body Fights Back

This one’s a bit different. Your body has an exceptional team of “protectors” called the immune system. With RA, this team gets mixed up and starts attacking the healthy lining of your joints by mistake. This autoimmune disease causes swollen, painful, and stiff joints, typically in the hands and feet. You may also feel exhausted or have a low-grade fever. The stiffness can last a long time, especially in the morning. RA can start at any age and often affects women more, with joint damage. Since it’s your body attacking itself, it needs a special kind of care. Treating rheumatoid arthritis is typically performed by a rheumatologist, a specialist in this condition.

Gout: Little Crystals, Big Pain!

Ever had a sudden, sharp pain, maybe in your big toe? It could be gout! This discomfort occurs when your body produces too much of a particular chemical, known as uric acid. That extra chemical can form tiny, sharp crystals right in your joints. Ouch! Gout attacks often come and go in “flare-ups,” where the pain is terrible. To relieve pain from gout, your physician may prescribe special diets and medications.

Elderly-Onset Rheumatoid Arthritis (EORA): RA That Shows Up Later

This condition is very similar to regular rheumatoid arthritis, but it only pops up when you’re 60 or older. That’s why it has “Elderly-Onset” in its name. It can cause pain in larger joints, such as your shoulders. Besides joint pain, folks with EORA might also feel feverish, have muscle pain, have weight loss, or feel very tired because they have low red blood cells (anemia).

How Arthritis Is Diagnosed in Older Adults

If your joints feel stiff or achy, please don’t hesitate to talk to your doctor. They’re there to help! Here’s how they might figure out what’s going on and if you have developed arthritis:

• A Chat with Your Doctor: They’ll ask you lots of questions: How do you feel? Where does it hurt? When did it start? They’ll also ask about your past health and your family history, wanting to know who in your family may have similar problems.
• A Physical Exam: Your doctor will carefully look at and feel your joints to examine them. They’ll assess for the symptoms of swelling, warmth, or decreased range of motion.
• Blood Tests: They might take a little blood to look for signs of swelling or clues about your body’s defense system. For example, they can check for things often found in people with rheumatoid arthritis or too much uric acid with gout.
• Imaging (X-rays, etc.): Doctors may take pictures of your joints using X-rays or other methods like MRI or ultrasound. These pictures help them see if bones or the soft parts of your joints are damaged, like if that soft cushion between your bones is wearing away.
• Joint Fluid Test: If a joint is swollen and painful, a doctor might take a tiny bit of fluid from it. Looking at this fluid closely can help them understand what’s causing the problem, especially if there’s an infection.

Simple Steps to Relieve Arthritis Pain at Home

Seeing your doctor for an early diagnosis and treatment is so important. But guess what? There are also many things that those who develop osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and other forms of arthritis pain can do right at home to help themselves feel better and take care of their joints!

• Keep a Notebook: Grab a simple notebook. Write down how you feel each day, what hurts, and what medicines you take. This journal can be a big help for you and your doctor to determine what works best.
• Move Your Body: It might seem strange, but moving helps a lot! A gentle exercise program, such as walking, swimming, or riding a bike, can help loosen your joints and ease the pain. Think about trying Tai Chi – it’s a gentle way to move that’s great for joints and even your mood! Use shoe inserts to maintain proper lower body alignment. Just remember: don’t do anything that makes your pain a lot worse.
• Balance Activity and Rest: Don’t try to do everything at once! Take breaks when you feel tired or when your joints are achy. It’s perfectly okay to ask for help when you need it as well.
• Eat Healthy and Smart: Eating nutritious foods gives your bones and muscles strength. And guess what? Many fruits and vegetables can actually help calm down inflammation in your joints.
• Maintain a Healthy Weight: If you carry extra weight, it can put more stress on your knees and hips. Losing even a little weight can make a huge difference in how your joints feel, helping to lessen pain and making it easier to move around. Your doctor may recommend a weight management program to help you get to a healthy weight. It also helps reduce risk for other conditions, too, such as heart disease.
• Use Heat and Cold: These old tricks still work wonders! Warm baths or heating pads can help relax muscles and reduce pain. Ice packs are effective in reducing swelling and soreness, particularly after physical activity.
• Relax Your Mind: Living with pain can make you feel worried or sad. Try calming activities such as listening to soothing music, taking slow, deep breaths, or doing gentle yoga. When your mind relaxes, your pain can feel less intense.
• Get Enough Sleep: Arthritis pain can make it tough to get a good night’s rest, and not sleeping enough can make the pain feel even worse. Try to go to bed at the same time every night and make your room cool, dark, and quiet. Use a dim nightlight for overnight trips to the bathroom.
• Quit Smoking (If You Do): If you smoke, stopping can hugely help your arthritis symptoms. The chemicals in smoke can actually hurt your body’s connective tissues and cause joint damage.

Why It is Important to Get Treatment for Arthritis

If arthritis isn’t taken care of, it can cause lasting damage to your joints over time. This swelling and inflammation can make it challenging to stay involved in physical activity, maintain your range of motion, and perform daily tasks you enjoy. Some types of arthritis can even affect other parts of your body, like your heart or lungs, if they’re left untreated.

Doctors have different tools to help you control arthritis pain and stiffness:

• Medicines: Certain pills, such as over-the-counter pain relievers (acetaminophen or ibuprofen), can help relieve arthritis pain, joint stiffness, and swelling. However, always consult your doctor before taking any new medication.For certain types of arthritis, especially when your body’s defense system is attacking itself, doctors have special medicines that help quiet down that system. These can prevent more damage to your joints and help manage arthritis symptoms.
• Shots: Sometimes, a doctor might give you a shot of medicine right into a painful joint to reduce swelling. These are usually not given often, but they can help manage pain and stay active.
• Antibiotics (for joint infection): If a germ is causing the arthritis characterized by joint inflammation, pain, and stiffness (which is rare), doctors use strong medicines called antibiotics.
• Therapy to Help You Move: Physical and occupational therapy are arthritis treatments that can help manage and reduce pain in your joints and help your connective tissues.
  • A physical therapist can teach you special exercises to make your joints stronger, strengthen muscles, reduce pain, and help you move better. Physical activity can help make the pain easier to manage.
  • An occupational therapist can show you clever ways to do daily tasks, like getting dressed, without hurting these same joints.
• Surgery: If severe arthritis has already damaged a joint and other treatments haven’t helped, doctors might suggest surgery. Sometimes, they can even replace a badly damaged joint, like a knee or hip, with a new, artificial one. This surgery is called a “total joint replacement.”

Final thoughts for you to take away…

Osteoarthritis is not always preventable. It can occur due to daily life activities. Rheumatoid arthritis is often a result of the body’s defense system misbehaving. You can usually relieve gout systems with diet and medication.

The big takeaway? By working closely with your doctor, especially with early diagnosis and treatment, and taking good care of yourself at home, you can live a more comfortable life with arthritis. Maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, and following your doctor’s advice can help reduce the symptoms of pain and stiffness, as well as protect your joints.

Talk with your doctor or an arthritis specialist about any worries or questions you have. They are your best partners in managing your symptoms and overall care.