People who live with the day-to-day reality of arthritis can face a daunting challenge - making the best of what can be a seemingly impossible obstacle.
Learning to cope, adjusting to chronic pain and accepting limitations are only a few of the challenges sufferers face.
While the challenge is daunting, it is not impossible.
Tens of millions of people suffer from arthritis in the UnitedStates alone.
Yet, each day, these brave people wake up to the challenges of arthritis and press on, undeterred.
What can you do to meet the challenges of living with arthritis? Here are a few tips.
First, get educated.
Although we still have much to learn about arthritis, a great deal of information (and support) is available for the taking.
Aside from local support groups and your physician's office, the advent of the Internet has made the world a lot smaller and advice and support from others just like you is only a mouse click away.
Second, accept the facts.
Depending on the severity of your arthritis, pain can range from an occasional irritation to constant, chronic pain.
Regardless of your situation, you must make changes to accommodate your condition, for your own well-being.
Dwelling on what you can't do will not change the situation.
Focusing on what you can do can mean the difference between depression and a satisfying life.
Once again, building a safety net of support is helpful here.
Third, do what you are able and KEEP MOVING.
Movement is key to decreasing pain by keeping those joints active and preventing atrophy of muscles and tendons.
Discuss an exercise program with your physician and DO IT - even when you do not want to! Regular exercise and stretching not only keeps your joints functioning as much as possible, it gives a sense of well-being and wards off depression.
Finally, take action to manage your pain.
Arthritis - simply stated - is a general term that refers to inflammation of the joints.
Some forms are genetic and others, such as osteoarthritis, are typically developed after an injury or due to unusually high activity.
Although there is no cure for arthritis, there are ways to manage the pain.
Losing weight can help, particularly if you experience pain in weight bearing joints such as your hips, knees or ankles.
Over-the-counter treatments - from topical creams to oral medications - are readily available, as are prescription medications, which, while not fixing the problem, do mask the pain.
Still others make changes to their diet, practice mediation or seek help in the form of massage therapy.
However, what can be done to get to the root of the pain? One highly effective way to rebuild the damaged cartilage and improve mobility is supplementation with high-quality glucosamine and chondroitin.
These two powerful supplements have been shown to aid arthritis sufferers by acting to rebuild the cartilage in arthritic joints.
Oral supplementation is particularly effective in getting these two molecular powerhouses where they need to be...
fast!