Arthritis Pain Relief : Questions To Ask Your Healthcare Provider
Priya Shah
Copyright © 2005 Priya Shah
A great place to begin taking charge of you arthritis pain relief and prevention planning is by making an appointment with your healthcare provider and finding out more about your condition and treatment options.
Make sure to jot down questions ahead of time, and take them along in your journal or notebook, armed with a pencil to fill in his or her replies.
Some questions to begin with may be centered around these:
1. Do I have a form of arthritis? If not, what is wrong & what do I do next?
2. If so, which type is it? And what can I expect short-term and long-term?
3. What pain relief treatments are available? Which have side affects & what are they?
4. What self-care solutions do you advise?
5. Are there any limitations I should know about; i.e. special dietary issues, special activities to avoid, any OTC meds to NOT mix, etc.?
6. What resources do you have to help with my diet and exercise planning?
7. What other arthritic and other health resources do you have for my family and me?
When you take in your questions, also take in a description of your symptoms so that your doctor can help better understand your situation and health.
Make sure to note:
- Where you have pain (same joint both limbs?)
- When you feel pain - with certain activities, in the morning, when it rains, etc.
- How long you have had the pain
- If the pain increases or decreases, comes and goes, etc.
- The type & intensity level of pain - stabbing, dull, cramping, stiffness - and low, mild or high pain
- Note any limitations - can't bend over too far without pain, can't get out of car, etc.
- Share any family history of arthritis
- Tell about any OTC or prescription medications or other treatments you currently take or use.
- Discuss any special diet you are on and exercise programs
So try the different options available for arthritis pain relief and prevention.
Give your joints a break as soon as possible from any excess weight they're hauling around, even if it's the weight of excess stress.
Lighten up and make pain relief and prevention care part of your normal, everyday routine.
For a comprehensive report on arthritis, visit Arthritis Remedies http://www.arthritisremedies.org
About the author:
Priya Shah is the editor of The Glutathione
Report and Health
Naturale. This article may be reprinted as long as the
resource box is left intact and all links are hyperlinked.
The latest information and news on Arthritis Advice :
Federal officials ordered stronger warnings on four medications widely used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other serious illnesses, saying they can raise the risk of possibly fatal fungal infections.
FDA orders stronger warnings for arthritis drugs (Lake County News-Sun)
The Food and Drug Administration has ordered stronger warnings on four medications -- including Abbott Laboratories's blockbuster Humira -- widely used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other serious illnesses, saying they can raise the risk of possibly fatal fungal infections.
US orders stronger warnings for 4 arthritis drugs (GMA News)
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration ordered stronger warnings Thursday on four medications widely used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other serious illnesses, saying they can raise the risk of possibly fatal fungal infections.
Deaths Heighten Arthritis Drugs Warning (MedicineNet.com)
Title: Deaths Heighten Arthritis Drugs Warning Category: Health News Created: 9/5/2008 Last Editorial Review: 9/5/2008
Half of Adults Will Get Knee Arthritis (WebMD)
Nearly half of Americans are likely to develop arthritis in at least one knee by age 85, a study shows.
Stronger Warnings Ordered on Arthritis Drugs (New York Times)
Federal health regulators ordered new warning language for prescription drugs to treat rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn?s disease and other conditions after a dozen patients died.
Arthritis Meds May Lead To Fungal Infections (WSB-TV 2 Atlanta)
The FDA finds a link between four arthritis drugs and histoplasmosis infections.
FDA orders stronger warnings for 4 arthritis drugs (AP via Yahoo! News)
The Food and Drug Administration ordered stronger warnings Thursday on four medications widely used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other serious illnesses, saying they can raise the risk of possibly fatal fungal infections.
FDA orders stronger warnings for 4 arthritis drugs (Atlanta Journal-Constitut...
The Food and Drug Administration ordered stronger warnings Thursday on four medications widely used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other serious illnesses, saying they can raise the risk of possibly fatal fungal infections. The drugs ? Enbrel, Remicade, Humira and Cimzia ? work by suppressing the immune system to keep it from attacking the body. For patients with rheumatoid arthritis, the ...
FDA warns on arthritis drugs (CNN Money)
Government regulators order stronger warnings for four types of arthritis medication, saying they can increase risk of death by infection.