8 Things We All Get Wrong About Arthritis and Joint Pain
Have you ever heard that arthritis is a
normal sign of aging or that it worsens with the rise of humidity? Both
of these so-called “facts” are untrue. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of
misinformation around joint pain and arthritis. Some of this misleading
information is extremely harmful to those who suffer from the condition.
For this reason, we’ve collected a list of 8 such common arthritis and
joint pain myths and the real facts behind them.
1. All joint pain is arthritis.
Joint pain and arthritis are often used interchangeably, which is a
massive overstatement. In fact, the term “arthritis” itself is
incredibly vague because there are as many as 50 types of arthritis,
according to some classifications. But even if we only take
osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, the two most widespread forms
of arthritis, into consideration, they are by no means the only cause of
joint pain.
Even if you experience common arthritis symptoms - joint pain, swelling,
and limited joint mobility - other conditions cause them, too.
Injuries, tendinitis (the inflammation or irritation of a tendon), and
bursitis (the inflammation or irritation of a bursa sac) are just a few
examples of such conditions. Instead of just assuming that you have
arthritis when your joints start aching, it’s important to get
professional guidance and be diagnosed properly.
2. Moving to a warm dry climate slows down the progression of arthritis.
Can your joints predict the rain? According
to anecdotal evidence, people suffering from arthritis can feel more
pain immediately before or during rain. Even though there is no hard
scientific evidence to confirm this claim, there are a handful of
studies suggesting that dampness or humidity could expand the inflamed
joints and worsen pain and stiffness temporarily.
However, scientists don’t think that living in a warm and dry climate
influences the progression of the disease and will spare you from
arthritis pain. In fact, using warm and cold compresses to ease the pain
probably has similar benefits. Moving out of your home and away from
family to a warmer climate will probably not cure your arthritis.
3. Cracking your knuckles causes arthritis.
Mothers have been telling their kids to
stop cracking knuckles for what seems like millennia, all in vain.
Knuckle cracking may be annoying to hear, but it’s not really harmful,
and most importantly, it does not cause arthritis. That said, if you
feel pain when you crack your knuckles, it could be due to an underlying
problem with the joints. To learn more about what’s going on in the
body when you crack or pop your knuckles
4. Arthritis is an older people’s disease.
At the beginning of this article, we
mentioned that there are as many as 50 kinds of arthritis. What we
didn’t specify is that each type is associated with a specific age
group. For example, there is a subtype of rheumatoid arthritis called
juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) that affects only kids. According to
Dr. Vivian Bykerk, a rheumatologist at Hospital for Special Surgery in
New York, "It can happen to 1 and 2-year-olds, it can happen to
90-year-olds and to anyone in-between."
If we look at osteoarthritis, the average age of onset is 50 years and
older, which is probably where this myth comes from. However, rheumatoid
arthritis cases peak in the age range of 30-50 years old, and they
actually tend to become rarer as you get older. Thus, this myth is just
not true.
5. Ice is more effective than heat at reducing symptoms.
When it comes to most types of joint or
muscle pain, both cold compresses and heating pads are useful. Arthritis
is no different, so use the method that eases your joint discomfort.
Usually, doctors recommend applying heat in the morning to improve joint
mobility and relax achy joints and muscles. You can either use a
heating pad or a damp warm cloth on the affected area or take a warm
shower and a pleasant hot bath to improve your symptoms.
Cold compresses, on the other hand, are often used to relieve friction
pain and reduce the inflammation caused by daily activities. You can
either use an ice pack or a bag with ice cubes or frozen vegetables
wrapped in a cloth for this purpose.
6. You should avoid exercise and physical activity during an arthritis flareup.
Many people believe that exercise will wear
out their joints quicker; hence, you shouldn’t exercise if you have
arthritis. As a matter of fact, only 13% of men and 8% of women
suffering from knee osteoarthritis meet the minimum amount of weekly
exercise. The truth is pretty much the opposite of that, which makes
this specific myth really harmful.
Regular exercise is one of the most effective ways to reduce arthritis
symptoms - it builds muscles around the affected joints, which
strengthens and stabilizes the joints. No one says that you should run
marathons, but a regular gentle routine can be really helpful.
During a flareup, you may need a few days of rest and do some light
stretching in-lieu of more intensive exercises for a week or more, but
even then, it’s important to introduce movement in your life every day.
If your current exercise routine causes pain, you can also switch to
types of activity that are not so taxing on the joints, such as swimming
or riding the bike (or the stationary bike).
7. Lifestyle changes make no difference.
This is a continuation of the previous
point about exercise. Many patients are discouraged by their diagnosis
and feel that surgery is the only way they can improve their joint
health, which is just not true. In fact, we’ve already mentioned two
ways you can curb the pain and discomfort caused by arthritis in this
article - exercise and hot and cold compresses.
Beyond that, doctors recommend that you maintain a healthy weight and
stop smoking if you do. Those who smoke and/or are overweight tend to
have more severe versions of arthritis. Likewise, it’s helpful to avoid
excessive difficult movements like kneeling and squatting, and it’s
important NOT to stay in the same position, such as sitting or standing,
for a long time.
8. Arthritis is inevitable and untreatable aside from surgery.
Being diagnosed with arthritis can be
really depressing, especially because we often think of arthritis as an
untreatable disease. In the past, patients were treated with leg
elevation, bed rest, and the occasional massage or ointment, but
thankfully, rheumatology has gone a long way since. While it is true
that most arthritis types are still incurable, doctors do have a wide
range of non-surgical treatments for arthritis.
There are conservative treatments for both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid
arthritis. “Over the past 40 years, the treatment of rheumatoid
arthritis has changed dramatically,” says a
rheumatologist. “We now have a plethora of highly effective
therapies that can not only reduce or eliminate pain, but also quench
joint inflammation and prevent the development of structural bone
damage, joint deformity, and disability.” Note: the specific treatment
assigned to you will depend on the type of arthritis you’re suffering
from and requires professional medical help.