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General Joint Surgery Information
Managing Your Pain
Roger Emerson, Jr., MD
Pain can be the hardest part of having arthritis, but it is
possible to manage it. Before learning different management
techniques, however, it is important to understand some important
concepts about pain.
Just as there are different types of arthritis, there also
are different kinds of pain. Even your own pain may vary from
day to day. Each person with arthritis requires his or her own
pain management plan. What works for some people may not work
for others. You may need to try several different treatments
before you find one that suits you.
People react differently to pain for several reasons:
Physical Reasons
The sensitivity of your own nervous system and the severity
of your arthritis determine how your body reacts to pain. These
factors determine whether your nerves will send or block pain
signals.
Emotional and Social Reasons
Other factors that affect how you react to pain and how much
pain you feel include your fears and anxieties about pain, previous
experiences with pain, energy level, and attitude about your
condition. The way people around you react to pain may also
affect how you personally react to pain. Many people with arthritis
have discovered that by learning and practicing pain management
skills, it is possible to reduce pain.
Managing Your Pain
Thinking of pain as a signal to take positive action rather
than an ordeal to be endured can help you manage pain.
Take Control
Your mind plays an important role in how you feel pain and how
you respond to illness. People with arthritis often feel helpless
and depressed. With these feelings come decreased activity,
poor self-esteem and increased pain. So building a sense of
personal control by adjusting your thoughts and actions is an
important part of pain management.
Keep A Positive Attitude
Arthritis can limit you, but it doesn't have to control your
life. Think positive thoughts, keep a sense of humor, eat a
balanced diet, exercise every day and enjoy activities with
others. It also means following your treatment plan, taking
your medication property and practicing relaxation.
Practice positive self-talk. What we say to ourselves often
determines what we do and how we look at life. Negative self-talk
can lead to increased pain. Positive self-talk can help distract
you from pain.
Take Medicines Wisely
Many different types of medicines can help control the pain
and swelling of arthritis. Some of the medicines that can help
include: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), acetaminophen
(Tylenol®), aspirin, steroids (prednisone), muscle relaxants
(cyclobenzaprine or carisoprodol) and topical pain relievers
containing salicylates and capsaicin.
Antidepressants can also relieve chronic pain in people who
are not necessarily depressed. These drugs work by blocking
pain messengers in the brain. They are normally prescribed in
doses lower than dim prescribed for depression.
Nerve blocks are also used to help nerve, tendon, ligament
and muscle pain. They consist of injections of anesthetic drugs
directly into the nerves of the painful area. Yet nerve blocks
are not as effective for long-lasting pain because they work
only for a limited period of time and can cause temporary muscle
weakness and numbness near the painful area.
Other Tips to Reduce Pain
Get enough sleep — a good night's sleep restores your energy
so you can better manage pain.
Consider massage — Massage brings warmth to the sore
area and is soothing.
Practice relaxation techniques — you can achieve mental
relaxation through deep breathing, meditation or distraction.
Try biofeedback — Learn how to control your body's physical
reactions.
Evaluate The Need For Surgery
Most people with arthritis will never need joint surgery. However,
when other treatment methods don't lessen the pain, or when
there are problems with joint mobility or function, surgery
may be considered. In joint replacement surgery, damaged joints
are replaced with artificial joints. This procedure can relieve
pain and may improve joint motion and function.
The bottom line — ask your family physician and family
orthopaedist. They are trained to help end the cycle of pain.
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