GETTING READY TO SEE YOUR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST Your occupational therapist will work with you to help improve or preserve your quality of life by keeping you active, functional, and independent. You can start seeing an occupational therapist anytime after your diagnosis. It is definitely helpful to get started as soon as you notice that your …
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OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY FOR ARTHRITIS Occupational therapy is important in the care of arthritis. Occupational threrapists (OTs) focus on helping patients preserve mobility to perform activities of self-care, daily living, work, hobbies, and recreation. What is an occupational therapist?An OT has a college degree, plus 2 to 3 additional years of schooling focused on learning occupational …
PT FOR ARTHRITIS Physical therapy is a great intervention for most types of chronic arthritis. It consists of stretching, strengthening, and stability exercises combined with therapeutic modalities like ice, heat, ultrasound, massage, etc. Physical therapy is not the same as exercise. With exercise, you participate in a sporty activity which focuses on movement. Physical therapy …
TAKING MEDICATIONS FOR ARTHRITIS PAIN Medications are the most commonly prescribed treatments for arthritis. Here are some options your doctor may present to you: Antiinflammatory medications: Most forms of arthritis cause pain because of inflammation gone out of control. Medications are available for use as needed try to decrease or resolve the inflammation. NSAIDs (nonsteroidal …
SURGERY: UNDERSTANDING YOUR OPTIONS If your arthritis becomes severe, you may start to wonder if you need surgery. How do you decide what’s best when nonsurgical treatments are not working? Surgery may be indicated when your joint(s) appears to be completely worn out. X-rays will confirm this when the joint appears to be “bone-on-bone” because …
KEEPING TRACK OF YOUR PROGRESS A daily journal is a great way to keep track of your arthritis symptoms. Your journal provides important information to let you know how well your treatments are working. Also, recording your pain, mood, and level of function can help you figure out which activities are healthy and which are …
STARTING YOUR TREATMENT FOR ARTHRITIS Once you are diagnosed with arthritis, you should focus on treatments . In the near term, you can reduce or resolve your symptoms. In the long term, having a good treatment plan can slow or stop disease activity and potentially save your joints from destruction. Start immediately! Early treatment has …
WHY CAN’T I GET KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERY NOW? Many patients with severe arthritis symptoms visit orthopedic surgeons looking for knee replacement surgery. But when your surgeon tells you that it is not the right time for surgery, this can be frustrating to hear and difficult to accept when nothing else seems to work. But your …
QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT YOUR ARTHRITIS If you are diagnosed with arthritis, it is important to ask your doctors questions to make sure that you understand your condition, learn about your treatment options, and get familiar with your outlook. Think about what you want to know about your diagnosis and make a list of …
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STICKING WITH YOUR MEDICATIONS With many forms of arthritis, medications are extremely important because they often provide the only opportunity for you to slow or stop the disease process. However, many people fall into traps where they do not take their medications as prescribed. Learn where people stumble so that you can prevent the same …
