Television commercials, which claim that a couple of aspirin or tylenol take away the minor aches and pains of arthritis, mislead the public. Such advertising, along with a lack of knowledge about the disease, expand some people's unawareness of the more complex forms of arthritis which require more aggressive forms of treatment. Joint destruction, loss of range of motion, deformities, chronic pain, and fatigue are among the changes that occur when a person is affected by arthritis. Arthritis consists of much more than just minor aches and pains. It is often difficult for the family and friends of an arthritic to comprehend why they feel so much better or so much worse on any particular day.
Arthritis is characterized by a mix of good days and bad days.
Some days the pain and fatigue is more exacerbated. A balance between rest and activity is necessary to best manage living with arthritis. There is variation in the duration and severity of the symptoms of arthritis. The limitations which arthritis imposes on an individual can cause people closest to them to become overprotective. Sometimes people do too much to try and help the person with arthritis.