Rheumatoid Arthritis: NHS on common signs and symptoms

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Joint problems are a common grievance yet many Britons are mistakenly blaming its causes, a new poll carried out for Deep Relief – topical pain specialists – suggests. The poll found that more than a third (35 percent) wrongly blame aches and pains on eating junk foods, while a fifth (19 percent) mistakenly pinpoint a sweet tooth as the cause. Around one in ten say joint pain is due to drinking coffee or wearing clothes that are too tight – factors that are unlikely to be the reason.

GP and advisor to topical pain specialists, Deep Relief, Doctor Gill Jenkins, is on hand to clear up some of this confusion.

The good news is, many of the causes of joint pain can be modified.

Doctor Jenkins explained: “The top reasons for joint pain – those we can do something about – are being overweight, having a sedentary lifestyle or poor posture.

“Wearing unsupportive shoes doesn’t help either but some of the ideas that people have about their joint health certainly don’t ring true.”

“With signs of Spring all around, people are understandably thinking about getting their bodies into shape for summer holidays and more revealing clothes. This is a popular time of year for taking up active hobbies and we don’t want creaky joints holding us back.

“That’s why Deep Relief has launched a new Be Prepared campaign to help people get on top of joint aches – with diet, stretching and self-care – before they dig out their lycra, golf clubs or jogging shoes.”

The doc added: “Junk foods and sugar are not recommended for a healthy diet but don’t directly impact on joint health, except perhaps by promoting weight gain. As for coffee and tight clothes, these are harmless.”

How does exercise help?

According to Harvard Health, “limiting your movements can weaken muscles, compounding joint trouble, and affect your posture, setting off a cascade of further problems”.

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The health body adds: “And while pain relievers and cold or hot packs may offer quick relief, fixes like these are merely temporary.

That’s why it recommends the “right set” of exercises to tame ankle, knee, hip, or shoulder pain.

What are the best types of exercise?

Exercises for neck, shoulders, knees, back, hips, feet, ankles, toes, wrists, fingers and hands can help to manage your condition and maintain healthy joints.

“Your GP can recommend the type and level of exercise that’s right for you,” explains the NHS.

Working out what’s best for you comes down to trial and error.

The NHS explains: “When doing exercise you should listen to your pain levels, especially in the early stages.

“You may find that these exercises increase your symptoms slightly in the beginning.

“If the exercises do cause some discomfort then taking prescribed medication from your GP or pharmacist may help to keep you exercising.”

Personal trainer, Chris Ruxton from Deep Relief has three top tips for getting our joints moving:

• Start small; be consistent – daily walking for 30-60 minutes several times a week is a better start than suddenly launching into an afternoon of gardening or a Zumba class. Once you’ve established the basics of movement for six to eight weeks, build up to more strenuous activities.
• Get on top of joint aches early – joints rarely recover spontaneously so try topical self-care with Deep Relief Anti-inflammatory Gel and Deep Relief Joint Pain Gel. Both contain a Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) and offer an effective, evidence backed, targeted pain and inflammation relief alternative to oral pain-killers. Their unique formulation combines ibuprofen and levomenthol to provide powerful pain and inflammation relief where you need it most. And if you want to soothe joint challenges on the go or at night, try the new drug-free Deep Relief Actiflex Patch. This patch uses the very latest hydrogel technology to provide up to 12 hours soothing action, day, or night. Providing fast, cooling action these patches can be conveniently worn under clothing or while sleeping.
• Lighten up – being overweight is one of the most important causes of joint wear and tear, and a common cause of back and knee pain. It’s never easy to lose weight so start by eating only during an eight-hour window each day – for example 11am to 7pm – then adding key healthy eating steps, such as five-a-day fruit and veg, wholegrains and avoiding fatty, sugary snacks. Losing a couple of kilos for life is better than a larger weight loss which you can’t sustain.

A change of direction is clearly needed as the new survey found more than six in 10 (65 percent) British adults have experienced joint pain, four in ten (44 percent) have restricted movement and nearly a third (27 percent) have swelling of the finger joints.

Half said aches and pains were their biggest concern about getting older.

Doctor Gill Jenkins added: “Sore joints can hold back our effects to get fit and create a vicious cycle – we ache and feel tired so don’t move around as much. This means we stiffen up and are less likely to feel like exercising. It’s important to break this cycle and Be Prepared for getting active and keeping our joints moving, healthy and fit.”

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