Preventing And Treating Osteoarthritis Flare
One of the ways to prevent osteoarthritis flare-up symptoms is to exercise. Regular exercise strengthens the muscles, which gives more support for bones and reduces the stress at the joints. Losing weight can also help by relieving the wear and tear on the joints. Another way to reduce the impact on the joints is to use shoe insoles and knee braces. When the pain and stiffness of a flare-up occurs, it is recommended to use heat and cold packs. Heat relieves stiffness and cold can relieve muscle spasms. Over-the-counter pain creams provide relief as well.
Can You Qualify For Disability With Psoriatic Arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis falls under the classification of immune system impairments of the Disability Evaluation Under Social Security. 2 More specifically, it is listed under section 14.09 titled Inflammatory Arthritis. If someone meets the requirements under section 14.09, they may be approved for disability payments.
Take Care Of Your Mental Health
Managing the mental aspect of psoriatic arthritis is an important treatment component as well. People with psoriatic arthritis are at a greater risk of anxiety and depression than the general population, and flare-ups are difficult for many to cope with, Crow says. Whatever you can do to invest in your mental health is likely a wise choice.
Don’t Miss: What Can I Take For Arthritis In My Hands
Common Medications To Treat Arthritis Flares
OA patients might just need some OTC pain-relieving medication such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or naproxen. Dr. Bose also recommends topical gels and lotions like diclofenac gel or 2 Old Goats. If that doesnt work, Dr. Ashany says joint injections of steroids may be given. RA flares are more complicated. In inflammatory arthritis, steroids are often used to try to quickly bring a flare under control, Dr. Ashany says. If only one joint is involved a steroid can be given by injection, but otherwise it can be taken orally .
In inflammatory arthritis, if flares continue to occur, this indicates that the patients regimen of maintenance medication is not adequate, Dr. Ashany says. This may lead to addition of a medication, switching one drug for another or increasing the dose of medication that the patient is currently taking.
What Are Triggers Of A Psa Flare
A variety of things can trigger a PsA flare. Some triggers you can prevent, but some you cant.
The good news is that the most common cause of a PsA flare missing doses of your medication is within your control. The best favor you can do for yourself is taking your PsA medications as directed.
If you are having trouble getting or taking your medications for any reason, talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist. They can help troubleshoot, problem-solve, or find an alternative medication if needed. If its hard for you to remember to take your medications, you could tryusing a medication reminder app or setting an alarm on your phone.
Aside from missed medication, other causes of PsA flares include:
-
Stress
Other things can also trigger psoriasis flares. It is reasonable to avoid psoriasis triggers , too.
Recommended Reading: Spinal Arthritis Prognosis
Exploring The Connection Between Stress And Autoimmune Disease
In this new study, researchers analyzed more than 100,000 people diagnosed with stress-related disorders and compared their tendency to develop autoimmune disease at least one year later with 126,000 of their siblings, and another million people who did not have stress-related disorders.
The study found that individuals diagnosed with a stress-related disorder
- were more likely to be diagnosed with an autoimmune disease
- were more likely to develop multiple autoimmune diseases
- had a higher rate of autoimmune disease if younger.
*Patient-years is an expression that combines how many and for how long people are assessed in a study. If the frequency of a condition is 9 per 1,000 patient-years, that means 9 people would develop the disease among ,1000 patients monitored for 1 year, or among 500 patients monitored for 2 years, and so on).
A particularly important observation was that, for those with PTSD who were being treated with an SSRI , the increased rate of autoimmune disease was less dramatic. While these observations are intriguing, they dont tell us why or how a stress-related disorder might provoke or cause autoimmune disease.
Also Check: Whats Good For Stress And Anxiety
When Flares Seem To Last Forever
While it can sometimes feel like a flare is lasting forever, we found that there is a wide variety of experiences in how frequently people experienced flares and how long they lasted.
Among people who took the survey, almost three-quarters of people with PsA experienced flares monthly or even more frequently, with flares lasting several weeks.
You May Like: Bee Pollen For Arthritis
Also Check: Ease Arthritis Pain In Fingers
How To Manage Arthritis Flare
An arthritis flare is an episode of increased pain, stiffness, and fatigue. These intensified arthritis symptoms can come on suddenly, disrupting your normal routine. Depending on the type of arthritis you have, flares can be brought on by overdoing activities, changing weather patterns, changes to your medications, stressor sometimes for no apparent reason at all.
To minimize the impact of flares and help you recover as quickly as possible, consider the following advice.
Employ Some Life Hacks
Crow also advises taking shortcuts that can make living with PsA flares easier. These life hacks can help minimize fatigue or joint pain, she says. If your joints hurt, you can change the stuff you are using in your daily life for example, if your hands hurt, you can use a wide-grip fork while eating. You can also change how you interact with stuff, such as choosing to have grocery delivery rather than exerting the energy required to go to the store and bag all the items yourself.
You May Like: How To Deal With Arthritis
Arthritis Flare Up Foods
Food is a big part of celebrating holidays, but certain foods can actually make arthritis symptoms worse. In particular, foods that can cause inflammation also tend to cause flare ups and should be avoided.2,3 The list of arthritis flare up foods includes sugar, fatty meats, dairy, and gluten. It is also a good idea to limit ones intake of coffee, soda, alcohol, salt, and processed foods as much as possible to prevent flare ups.
Managing Your Arthritis Flare Ups
Even when your arthritis is well-controlled, itâs still possible to have a flare-up. Arthritis symptoms will get temporarily worse after a time of being less severe. When you experience a flare-up, a joint or joints may swell or become more swollen you may even feel more pain and stiffness, especially in the morning then your body may feel more fatigued. When you have all these things happening at the same time, the flare-up is considered more serious. There are ways to deal with your flare-ups, here are three steps you may want to take to help yourself when you have an arthritis flare-up.
Step 1: Recognizing what is happening, when itâs happening.The first step to managing a flare is to first recognize when you are having one. If you can identify that you are having a flare-up then it becomes easier to start managing it. Being aware of your body and how it feels and learning to pay attention to how arthritis affects your body makes it easier to see if there are any changes, then you will be able to recognize it. When you realize there has been a change, admit it, donât go into denial and hope that everything will just get better on its own. It doesnât.
Read Also: How To Deal With Arthritis
How Long Does It Take To Recover From Hand Surgery
Recovery time depends on many factors, including the severity of your condition, type of surgery you had, the skill of your surgeon and your compliance with therapy. Most people can return to their activities about three months after joint reconstruction surgery. Your team of caregivers can give you the best estimate of your particular recovery time.
When To See A Doctor About A Flare
If youre experiencing joint pain that flares up from time to time, Dr. Alam recommends being evaluated.
For many people, arthritis starts as a flare-up, and its important to seek a diagnosis. Remember, you need to know the specific type of arthritis youre suffering from to be able to prevent or alleviate future flare-ups, says Dr. Alam.
For instance, you wont know whether to use ice or heat to relieve your joint pain unless you know if its rheumatoid arthritis or gout as opposed to osteoarthritis.
In addition, and particularly for rheumatoid arthritis, seeking a diagnosis early on gives you a better chance of avoiding the permanent joint damage this condition can cause, explains Dr. Alam.
And even if youve been diagnosed, there are still times you may need to see your doctor about a flare-up.
Its very important to call your doctor if youre experiencing pain in a new joint or if your flare-up is severe, since this could be a sign of arthritic infection, warns Dr. Alam.
If youre experiencing a mild flare-up in a joint youre used to experiencing pain, your doctor may be able to help you manage that pain by prescribing medications over the phone but only if he or she is already familiar with you and your condition.
Lastly, Dr. Alam recommends approaching supplements with skepticism.
Recommended Reading: Inflammatory Arthropathy Symptoms
However Few Researchers Feel Cold Weather Does Not Affect Arthritis
However, a study contradicted this and suggested that weather does not have anything to do with the pain caused due to osteoarthritis.
It stated that none of the factors related to weather including the temperature, atmospheric pressure and humidity are linked with the expression of arthritis.
Every person reacts in a different way to the weather conditions. It is not necessary that everyone feels an increase in the pain in joints when the temperature drops.
There are many people who do not feel any changes in their symptoms of arthritis due to the change of seasons.
The effect of pressure on the tissues of the body can be proved by considering the case of divers.
They tend to experience pain in the joints along with other musculoskeletal problems due to staying inside large depths of water for a long period of time.
This happens because water exerts much more pressure on the body than air.
Body conserves heat during winter. In order to do this, it sends the majority of blood supply to the heart, lungs and other important organs.
This causes constriction of the flow of blood at the extreme ends of the body. This makes the joints cold which increases the pain and tenderness.
Even the heat lost from the body, mainly the limbs, during the winter season adds to the worsening of the symptoms of arthritis.
The monsoon and winter seasons affect the mood of people.
Recommended Reading: Does Rheumatoid Arthritis Cause Itching
Tips For Managing An Arthritis Flare
Use these tips to manage arthritis flares when they arise.
1. Tips for Managing an Arthritis Flare
2. Plan ahead with your rheumatologist.
3. Plan ahead at home, too.
4. Watch the signs
5. Guard against infection
6. Give it a rest.
7. Care for your emotions
8. Slow down dont stop.
9. Apply the heat and the chill.
10. Exercise your mind.
11. Ask for help.
12. Practice good sleep hygiene
Managing Pain
Read Also: What Causes Arthritis Flare Up In Hands
What Is Total Knee Replacement
Total knee arthroplasty comprises a replacement of both the end of the femur bone and a replacement of the top part of the tibia . The procedure also involves placing a plastic spacer between where the cartilage used to be between the femur and the tibia.
In total knee arthroplasty surgery, a surgeon will remove the damaged cartilage and bone, and insert new state-of-the-art metal or plastic joint components to restore normal functioning of the knee.
From 1999 to 2008, total knee replacement procedures in the U.S. more than doubled for the population at large and tripled for people between the ages of 45 to 64. By 2012, surgery for end-stage knee osteoarthritis was performed on almost 660,000 Americans every year.
Also Check: How Do You Pop Your Knee
How To Manage Arthritis Flare Ups
Arthritis flare ups are often a pain in the joint. Learn how to spot and treat them!
If you have arthritis, you may have experienced an outbreak of symptoms at one time or another, often for no apparent reason.
Depending on the type of arthritis you have, the flare-ups can be linked to a particular trigger or to the progression of your illness. It is often difficult to say.
Read Also: How To Reduce Joint Swelling In Fingers
What About Managing A Psoriasis Flare
Controlling psoriasis is key to managing psoriatic arthritis flare-ups. While psoriatic arthritis and psoriasis are two separate conditions, 85 percent of people with psoriatic arthritis have psoriasis before developing the joint disease, according to the NFP. The severity of one disease does not dictate the severity of the other, so your treatment should be individualized.
Some patients have severe psoriasis and mild arthritis, and the treatments are guided by the skin problem, Fields says. Some patients have severe arthritis and not such severe skin problems, in that case, the arthritis will determine the therapy.
Here are some ways to address psoriasis symptoms during a flare-up:
Additional reporting by Brian P. Dunleavy
Also Check: Get Rid Of Arthritis In Hands
Stay Connected And Say No To Joint Pain
Having friends feels good and itâs good for your health, too. Most adults live with some type of pain, but studies show that the lonelier we are, the more likely we are to feel our pain, says Nortin Hadler, MD, MACP, MACR, FACOEM. Hadler is a professor of medicine and attending rheumatologist at the University of North Carolina. One of the best ways to reduce stress and pain is to join a group of peers in an activity that you enjoy. It doesnât matter if itâs a water aerobics class or a book group the most important piece is getting out there and connecting with others.
Haynes says her church plays a big role in her social life. I think itâs really important to be socially connected, so I try to get involved in church activities as much as I can. Being around other people is a great way to relieve stress and it just makes me feel good, she says.
You can find ways to connect by looking for groups in your community that share your interests, whether itâs bird watching, tennis, or bridge. Or consider volunteering or joining a support group.
Recommended Reading: Rheumatoid Arthritis Upper Back Pain
Fatigue And Mental Problems
The 2015 study on PsA flares in the journal Rheumatology also found invisible symptoms such as fatigue and depression. Some people say in addition to the joint and skin symptoms, you can also feel more tired or it might be more difficult to concentrate, but its unlikely that a flare occurs without the skin and the joint symptoms, Dr. Husni says. So if youre all of a sudden feeling really depressed and there are no changes in your joints or your skin, it may be hard to blame it directly on a flare, although it still could be part of the disease process.
Knowing When To Seek Medical Help
Sometimes you just have to know when enough is enough and to seek medical help for an OA flare-up. Although chronic pain and osteoarthritis can be difficult to properly treat, there is a diverse array of modalities a trained physician can use to help relieve your flare up.
This might sound like wishful thinking, but I am a testament to medicine helping to relieve my osteoarthritis flare-ups. Before I was treated with radiofrequency ablation in my spine, I would get flare ups about once a month that lasted about three to seven days.
I had simply accepted it as a reality of life that I would experience for the foreseeable future. However, after a devastating flare-up, I went to a physician in desperation and the rest is history.
I still get flare-ups now but they are few and far between. While I cant promise everyone will get adequate pain relief after seeing a physician, but it is definitely an option worth pursuing.
I have struggled with the flare-ups of OA for about five years now. Although it is not a perfect system, these methods have helped me cope with the pain and continue to function as normal as possible.
Dont Miss: When To Go To Er For Knee Pain
Recommended Reading: How To Deal With Arthritis
Some People Living With Arthritis Have Found Their Symptoms Lessen When Wearing These Special Gloves Heres How They Work
Both inflammatory and osteoarthritis can cause pain, swelling, and stiffness in hands and fingers, and those of us who live with these conditions will look to almost anything to get relief. Enter arthritis gloves, which are tight, often fingerless gloves that purport to improve symptoms. But are they really effective?
You May Like: Why Do I Get Knee Pain
Have Quick Meals Ready To Go
An arthritis flare can last one or two days, a week, or more. Unfortunately, a flare usually knocks you off of your usual pace. It is unlikely that you will feel like cooking until you get the flare to simmer down. It will help to have easy meals available.
You never know when a flare will strike, so be prepared. Freeze leftovers so they are ready to go. Stock some of your favorite frozen dinners. If you have nothing on hand, call for delivery.
Read Also: Remedies For Arthritis Pain In Hands