Hit back at pain, says Arthritis Care: Awareness Week 20 - 26 April

A shocking 90% of calls to Arthritis Care’s helpline in the last 12 months have been cries for help over pain – so this year, the charity is marking its awareness week, beginning on 20 April, by urging the UK’s nine million people with arthritis to take control of their pain and challenge the constraints it imposes on their lives. The charity is also calling for more investment to be made in pain management services across the country.

Arthritis is the biggest single cause of physical disability in the United Kingdom, affecting people of all ages, including 12,000 children. There are some 200 inflammatory and degenerative forms of the condition, from osteoarthritis and lupus, to gout and RSI, which cause pain for many people every day.

Arthritis Care’s Director of Public Affairs, Rachel Haynes, said: ”Most people with chronic pain have some form of arthritis. When you are stuck with debilitating pain year in, year out, as many people with arthritis are, it’s easy to forget that there are many ways to control pain - some available on prescription, but many that don’t require a doctor’s signature. If you can take control of your pain, you really can reclaim great tracts of your life.

“Our message during this year’s Arthritis Care Awareness Week is simple: if you have arthritis, don’t struggle alone with the pain – there’s plenty of support out there to help you take control of your pain and your life. For example, ask your pharmacist about any new drugs or treatments that have come onto the market, speak to your GP about referral to a pain specialist, or to physiotherapy or hydrotherapy. You could even think about changing an uncomfortable mattress, or chair or shoes. Or join a course like Arthritis Care’s Challenging Pain where you can share your experiences with others with arthritis and develop an easy step-by-step plan to take control of your condition.”

65-year-old Muriel Weisz from Nottingham, was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis two years ago - a month before retiring from her work as a social care manager. Rheumatoid arthritis causes swelling and pain in joints and tendons. Muriel, who recently formed a self help group for people with arthritis, said: “I’m in some level of pain everyday and where it is in my body changes often. One of the worst things is waking up not knowing which part of you is going to hurt most that day – at the moment it’s my feet and wrists. For example, there’s sometimes a pain that’s so paralising – I go to swing my legs out of bed in the morning and the pain is so intense that I have to stop and prepare myself for making any smaller movement to test out what going to be possible.

“Walking outside the house is just too painful. Sometimes I use a wheelchair to help me get around, but I’m just not very mobile – my husband has been an incredible support in spite of his own health problems. It’s so strange to think that 6 months before I was diagnosed, I’d walked the Cumbrian Way!

“It’s taking a lot to get used to not being able to do the things that I used to, but learning about my condition and how to deal with the pain means that I have some kind of control and that’s crucial. I keep a pain diary so that when I see my doctor I can tell him exactly how many days of the month I’ve been in severe pain or too tired to get out of bed. I’ve also just started on a trial for a new medication and it’s working wonders for me – the pain and inflammation has reduced considerably and my friends keep telling me how much better and less tired I look.

“When I was first diagnosed, reading Arthritis Care’s magazine, which had information about rheumatoid arthritis, appropriate treatments and also the experiences of other people with arthritis, was incredibly helpful.

“My advice to anyone out there struggling with arthritis is to listen to your body, acknowledge that you’re in pain and be gentle with yourself. Don’t try to pretend to the outside world that the pain isn’t there – make sure you’re honest with your family and friends about the support you need. Have the confidence to say how you’re experiencing the pain to your GP, so they know exactly what’s going on. There might be a solution out there that could really help you, but you won’t know if you stay silent.”

Arthritis Care’s Rachel Haynes said: ”Arthritis Care training courses are free to everyone and are available all over the UK. Or if that is a step too far, just call Arthritis Care’s Helpline for a ‘Pain Pack’ to get you started. There are thousands of people with arthritis supporting each other in Arthritis Care branches all over the UK or using our online forums to share experiences, information and support – maybe joining in with that could be just the inspiration you need.”

Rachel Haynes added: “As well as encouraging people with arthritis to take control of their own pain we also call on all UK governments to improve the services available to people with arthritis. In his recent report, Sir Liam Donaldson the Chief Medical Officer for England, concluded that a major initiative to widen access to high-quality pain services was needed to improve the lives of millions of people in the UK. We know that there are people with arthritis who struggle for years in pain before they get any kind of specialist support. Arthritis Care believes that pain services in the UK are chronically under-funded and are urgently in need of investment. We want to see GPs more committed to assessing and monitoring people’s pain, a better network of specialist pain clinics, and more accessible services like physiotherapy and hydrotherapy to help people to reduce their pain levels.”

Chronic pain has a major impact on people’s lives, causing sleeplessness and depression and interfering with normal physical and social functioning. It can destroy physical mobility and mental concentration, and undermine all aspects of social, family and work life. People with chronic pain are seven times more likely to quit their jobs due to ill health than the general population. Overall, 25% of people with chronic pain eventually lose their jobs4.

The theme of Arthritis Care Awareness Week 2009 is Take control of pain and the 62-year-old charity will mark the week by extending its Helplines service, offering a free ’Pain Pack’,  and running its free-to-user Challenging Pain courses in venues around the UK. To order a free ‘Pain Pack’ or for more information about arthritis go to Take control of Pain or call Arthritis Care’s Helpline on 0808 800 4050.

Take control of arthritis pain - Ten Top Tips

1. Lighten Up: Shed excess pounds to reduce stress on weight-bearing joints, like back, hips, and knees.

2. Be a Poser: Use good posture to protect your back and the joints of your legs and feet. Alter position often, take a break from the desk, and sit down to do some tasks instead of bending awkwardly.

3. Don’t suffer in silence: Your GP needs to know that you are in pain, and what kind in order to find you an effective treatment or refer you to a pain management specialist.

4. Mix it up: Different pain can be eased by different drugs and treatments. Discuss with your doctor and pharmacist the best combination for your condition.

5. The Ex Factor: Exercise releases the body’s own natural ‘morphine’ in the form of endorphins so appropriate exercise really can make you feel better.

6. Chuck out the chintz! Have a look at your furniture and decide if your bed and chairs are helping your pain or making it worse. 

7. Listen to pain: Don’t force already damaged, painful, or stiff joints into an activity that puts strain on them. But remember joints are supposed to move, so do not be afraid of persevering with gentle exercise recommended by your clinician.

8. Have an Exit Strategy:  Plan how to leave before you arrive if you can’t stand or walk for long.   Plot your ways of lifting, carrying, pulling, pushing, or carrying objects before starting the action.

9. Big it up: Make your strongest joints and muscles work harder to cut stress on smaller joints – e.g. use a backpack instead of a briefcase or handbag, sparing fingers and wrist.  Lift heavy objects in your arms instead of with your hands.

10. Doctor Gadget: Look in Arthritis News and catalogues for self-help products – designed to make everyday tasks easier. Occupational therapists, physiotherapists, ergonomists and doctors can suggest helpful work or home devices.

For further media information, to interview a case study or an Arthritis Care spokespeople, please call Christina Nicolaidou on 020 7380 6550 or Jane Spence on 020 7380 6551. Ref ACAW 2009 National