SUNDAY, Aug. 1, 2004 (HealthDayNews) -- A morning T'ai Chi session, a quick afternoon nap to restore energy, an oversized "easy-grip" pen -- experts say there are dozens of quick, simple ways to help the 2.1 million Americans afflicted with rheumatoid arthritis rise above daily pain.
"A lot of times, the mental stress associated with rheumatoid arthritis is equal to the joint pain people feel," explained Shannon Whetstone Mescher, a physiologist and spokeswoman with the Arthritis Foundation. "The emotional, mental part has to do with the fatigue, the lack of energy, the inability to do things that they want to do. There's the feeling that they're slowly losing their lifestyle."
But it doesn't have to be that way. One of the biggest frustrations for arthritis sufferers stems from difficulties in completing simple tasks -- actions such as opening jars, grabbing items off a high shelf, or even working a computer mouse.
Rheumatoid arthritis -- or RA -- is a disease that affects the entire body and is one of the most common forms of arthritis. It's characterized by inflammation of the membrane lining the joint or other internal organs, causing pain, stiffness, warmth, redness and swelling. The disease is usually chronic, but can also be marked by flare-ups, according to the foundation.
Luckily, the buying power of an aging population has led to a revolution in arthritis-friendly product design. In fact, the Arthritis Foundation's "Ease of Use" initiative, in partnership with private industry, has helped launch dozens of innovative products such as Pilot brand Dr. Grip pens and pencils, the quick-open Folgers AromaSeal coffee container, and the Virtually Hands Free computer mouse from Designer Appliances, among other products.
But there's more people with arthritis can do to ease daily pain. Because of a phenomenon known as "gelling" -- where synovial fluid gels during sleep, producing joint stiffness -- morning is often the toughest part of the day for those with rheumatoid arthritis.
Alleviating that pain "is often as simple as taking a warm bath or shower just after getting up," said Dr. John Klippel, president of the Arthritis Foundation.
Exercise programs that emphasize joint flexibility are another great way of relieving joint stiffness and pain. "We talk about 'joint-safe' forms of exercise," Klippel said. "Things like T'ai Chi and yoga not only increase muscle strength and flexibility, but there's not a lot of stress across joints."
But he emphasized that for individuals with arthritis, exercise should be balanced with rest. "The typical person with rheumatoid arthritis has very little energy, so one of the coping skills that they begin to learn is building rest time into their daily activities," Klippel said. Energy tends to ebb in mid-afternoon, so workers with arthritis may want to consider a short restorative nap at that time, if at all possible.
There are other ways of dealing with the chronic pain, however. According to Mescher, studies have shown that meditation eases arthritic symptoms, as does guided imagery.
"Guided imagery is, for example, imagining yourself on a beach," she said. "It's a talk-through of some sort of relaxing activity that helps you take your mind away from the pain and stress that come with the disease."
Support groups can be of great help, too. "One caveat I'll add to that, however, is that sometimes we've found there are unhealthy kinds of support mechanisms out there, such as groups where everyone simply complains about their disease," Mescher said.
With those types of feedback sessions, most participants "just leave feeling worse," she said. Instead, Mescher prefers groups where arthritis patients offer each other creative solutions to the tough challenges they face every day. "That really seems to help," she said.
The very best group activities combine social support with exercise. Joining a local aquatics club, for example, gives someone with RA "several positive benefits," Mescher said. "It takes a lot of effort sometimes to get up in the morning and get out, but the class gives it a social component as well."
Of course drug therapy remains key in alleviating joint pain. The pharmaceutical options now available include NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) that include aspirin and ibuprofen; steroid medications like prednisone; and a newer category of drugs called disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), which include methotrexate.
"Drug therapy is still the best way we know of to reduce pain and minimize the disability that comes with this disease," Klippel said.
Above all, people with rheumatoid arthritis shouldn't isolate themselves. The support of family and friends can make the difference, Mescher said, although there's often a learning curve.
"Be a good listener," she said. "Obviously, a loved one with rheumatoid arthritis has a lot on their mind, a lot they want to share and talk about. Do some research on your own to understand what they're going through."
In her work with caregivers interested in learning more about rheumatoid arthritis, Mescher often has them spend time with their thumbs taped firmly to their index fingers.
"Then they try and pick up different things around the house -- obviously, it makes a big impact on what you're able to do, and gives you a taste of what life is like for someone with RA," she said.
More information
For more on rheumatoid arthritis, visit the Arthritis Foundation.
