| is your body’s way of letting you know that | | | | activity will affect the amount of pain one experiences. |
| something is wrong. It is a natural defense that | | | | Preparing For A Visit To The Doctor |
| prevents you from causing further damage to an | | | | People who have been diagnosed with arthritis will |
| affected area. After surgery the pain prevents you | | | | need to stay under the care of their doctor to help |
| from doing things that could damage the surgical area. | | | | them control their symptoms. The more information |
| People who suffer from arthritis will often experience | | | | you can provide your doctor the better he will be able |
| joint pain and stiffness to the affected joint. There are | | | | to help you. Before your visit you need to keep a diary |
| two types of arthritis pain; acute pain which temporary | | | | of your activities. This diary should include when you |
| in nature and chronic pain which is either recurring or | | | | felt pain and the degree of that pain. Most doctors will |
| permanent. | | | | ask you to rate your pain on a scale of 1 to 10. They |
| Acute arthritis pain can flare up and last for a few | | | | will also ask you to describe you pain such as aching, |
| hours or a few days. This type of pain becomes less | | | | stinging, burning, etc. Keep up with the times of day |
| intense as an area heals. Chronic arthritis pain is often | | | | when your pain is worse. Also keep up with your diet |
| severe and never goes away permanently. Chronic | | | | and the foods you have eaten since some foods will |
| pain can often be controlled but is never cured. It is this | | | | trigger arthritis pain. |
| type of pain that will often limit a person’s | | | | Your doctor will also want to know if anything helped |
| activities. With time and age, people who suffer from | | | | ease the pain. Things such as ice packs, heat packs, |
| arthritis pain will probably see an increase in the pain as | | | | or over the counter analgesics may help with pain |
| well as a decrease in daily activities. | | | | reduction. By providing your doctor with a full picture of |
| The degree of arthritis pain will vary from one individual | | | | when and how the pain is occurring will help him |
| to the other. Some will only experience inflammation of | | | | understand what is going on and how best to treat it. |
| the joints while other will also have inflammation of the | | | | Early treatment will provide you with the best chance |
| tendons, which is known as tendonitis. People who | | | | of arthritis pain control as well as preventing joint |
| develop tendonitis will experience more pain than those | | | | damage. |
| who only have joint pain. Often the amount of daily | | | | |