Lake Edge United Church of Christ

Heart and Soul From Your Parish Nurse
For Our Souls and Minds: “I don’t deserve this award, but I have arthritis and I don’t deserve that either.” – Jack Benny

For Our Bodies: So what do we know about this thing called arthritis? Well, for starters, we know that arthritis literally means joint inflammation. We also know that it’s not a single disease; in fact, there are over 100 different diseases that fall under that label! And we know that any part of our body can be involved (muscle, bone, internal organs). Along with that, we know that arthritis can sometimes result in debilitating, even life-threatening complications – so it is certainly a health issue that deserves our attention. Sadly, arthritis is more common than we might think; in fact, it is the most common cause of disability in the U.S. (21% of American adults have arthritis - over 46 million). Nearly 2/3rds of those folks are under 65 years of age. Just about 60% of the afflicted are women. Alarmingly, by 2030, it is projected that there will be a 40% increase in the number of people who have this disease. Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are the most common types of arthritis - affecting any one, of any age, including children.

What are typical symptoms? One, or all of these, might be seen: pain, stiffness, fever, redness, warmth, swelling, weight loss, fatigue, difficulty breathing, rashes, or itchy skin. Osteoarthritis can come with age - affecting the fingers, knees, and hips. However, it can also follow an injury to a joint; i.e. sports injury or car accident. Rheumatoid arthritis happens when the body’s own defense system isn’t working properly; hands and feet are the most commonly affected, but internal organs and systems can also be involved.

What should we do if we think we have arthritis? Most importantly, we need to see our doctor; we’ll be given a diagnosis and a treatment plan based on that diagnosis. After taking that step, we can work on maintaining a healthy weight; getting regular exercise (a daily walk, and stretching exercises are often recommended); taking our medications as prescribed; finding things that make us smile or laugh; enjoying a daily warm bath or shower to ease stiffness; educating ourselves about the particular type of arthritis we have; and scheduling regular checkups. For localized relief, placing an ice pack on an uncomfortable joint, and elevating and resting that joint can help ease that inflammation. Most importantly, let us not forget our relationship with God in the midst of this struggle; prayer brings
peace where anxiety might otherwise rule.

For more extensive information, call the Arthritis Foundation at 1-800-283-7800 or see http://www.arthritis.org. While we’re doing this research, it’d also be good for us to remember the humor of folks like Jack Benny; after all, perspective is the essence of wisdom.