People suffering from arthritis often feel cheated out of a large part of their life and enjoyment of life. The chronic pain causes physical restriction and stress and drastically reduces "normal" life. Even everyday tasks consume tremendous amounts of energy for arthritis patients. Often life is limited to making it through one day at a time.

 

When arthritis starts to control your life, it's time to take control of the disease yourself.

 

How can arthritis be better managed?

How can you make life and lifestyle easier with arthritis?

What can patients do to be able to control their own lives, despite their physical limitations?

 

1. positive attitude. Arthritis is as unpredictable as the future. It is important for people with arthritis to accept and redefine their new life with its limitations. A positive attitude towards life helps arthritis patients to cope with their disease.

 

2. trust in the doctor. The doctor treating you plays an important role, so choosing a trustworthy doctor is a crucial question.

 

3. accept the situation. There is no denying or fighting the fact that you have arthritis. The importance of accepting the disease should not be underestimated. Once the patient has accepted the role the disease will play in their life, they can make better choices for their future and improve their lifestyle.

 

4. set realistic goals. Experience teaches you what goals you can set yourself despite the illness. It is important that you can realistically achieve them, otherwise it will only lead to frustration and depression. Arthritis sufferers should listen to their feelings, focus on what they want to achieve and change their lives accordingly.

 

5. protect the joints. Protecting the affected joints and not overstraining them minimises stress and pain.

 

6 Medication. The doctor prescribes a medication, but the patient has the responsibility to take the medication as directed and to follow the doctor's advice.

 

7. stay active. Specialised exercise is part of the treatment for arthritis and has proven effective in the past. However, despite the known relief of arthritis through exercise, many arthritis sufferers avoid regular exercise.

 

8. watch your weight. Excess weight puts strain on both healthy and diseased joints and aggravates the pain. When running, the hips, knees and ankles carry three to five times the entire body weight. Every kilo of excess weight therefore corresponds to three to five additional kilos that put a strain on the joints. Conversely, every kilo you lose in body weight means three to five times the relief.