Despite its undisputed benefits, Dr. Budd says he often has a hard time convincing patients to exercise. They would rather take a medication. But I tell them exercise is better than many medications. Seek counseling to deal with the life stresses of arthritic diseases. Although arthritis is a physical disease, anyone who has it will tell you it can wreak havoc on your emotions.
Many forms begin at the time young adults are beginning careers and families.
Other forms come on just when you're ready to enjoy the fruits of a lifetime of hard work. If you're struggling with difficult issues related to arthritis and your own doctor doesn't recommend counseling, raise the subject yourself, and ask him to recommend a therapist, Dr. Rubin advises. For example, research has shown that obese women can halve their risk of knee OA by losing as little as 10 to 15 pounds. For those who already have OA, weight loss can reduce the risk of progression and can lessen symptoms. Weight gain can increase the risk of gout, a form of arthritis that occurs when crystals of uric acid, a bodily waste product, build up in the joints and other tissues.