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Getting Help For Arthritis Pain
Overcoming Arthritis Pain Turning to over the counter pain medications to cope with arthritis pain is ineffective as a long-term solution.Whilesomeof themedicationsmayprovide temporary relief, theywillnothelpyouovercome the painforgood.Physicaltherapy,ontheotherhand,can provideactualrelieffromarthritisbyhelping torebuild strength in the joints through targeted movements and flexibility exercises. There isa lotofcurrent research trying tounderstand what precisely causes arthritis to develop in some people, and not in others. Everyone uses their joints every day, and while it makes sense that so much pressure would cause pain to develop over time, it doesn’t explain why the pain develops when and where it does, and why it happens to some people and not to others. If you’re suffering from back or neck pain, call Ascent Physical Therapy at 503.427.0118. Your physical therapist can help you return to a more active and pain-free life.
Whenyouexperiencean injury,dealingwith thepain thatcomesaspartoftheaftermath isexpected.While painful, most of the time when recovering from an injury you can find comfort in the knowledge that the pain is temporary. As your body heals, as you go through the motions of building your muscle mass back and improving flexibility with physical therapy, youknow that in timeyouwill feel likeyourselfagain. Thisknowledgegivesyousomethingtoworktowards, andhelps thepainfeelmoremanageable—evenwhen it is intense, and never-fleeting. Arthritis pain is different. Arthritis doesn’t develop as a result of an injury, but instead develops over time as a result of chronic use, or even as a result of genetic disposition. This can make dealing with the pain of arthritis even more difficult to cope with, as itbegs thequestion: if thepain iscoming from inside the joint, is there anything I can actually do about it? Understanding Arthritis Pain Osteoarthritis is themostcommonchroniccondition to affect the joints. Almost 30 million adults in the United States struggle with the condition, and while
itcan influenceanyoneofanyage, itmost frequently develops among those who are most prone to overuse—those who are over the age of 65. Arthritis occurs when there is a breakdown of the cartilage that covers the ends of the bones. This cartilage is what allows the joints in the elbows, ankles,kneesandhipstomovewithfreedom.Without cartilage, the bones would rub against one another witheachmovement,andwouldcauseextremepain. As the cartilage breaks down, so, typically, does the bone, and as the shape of the joint changes it becomes even more difficult for it to function smoothly. Furthermore, the ligaments and tendons around the joint will often stiffen, and the muscles surroundingthe jointwillweaken,making italtogether more difficult and painful to move. While arthritis pain typically develops gradually, the realization of what you are dealing with can still come as a shock. In some circumstances the pain will appear more abruptly, especially when the pain develops in association with a change in weather or other environmental circumstance.
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