CG cut and glue
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I've cut and glued some information on the subject.
Ingrid Seward is editor and staff of Majesty magazine.
Question: Morning Stiffness - What's the Significance?
What is the significance of morning stiffness in the clinical picture of rheumatoid arthritis patients? Does it mean the patient is only stiff in the morning? Is it only characteristic of rheumatoid arthritis or of other forms of arthritis too?
Answer: Do your joints feel stiff when you wake up in the morning? This is a common question asked by doctors who take care of patients with arthritis. If the answer is yes, they might ask how long it takes to improve -- you know, how long before morning stiffness subsides.
Not everyone with arthritis feels stiff in the morning. Instead of stiffness, some complain they hurt more in the morning or describe discomfort without pain. The duration of symptoms in the morning is an important clue as to what type of arthritis you may have. For example, rheumatoid arthritis or lupus patients often complain of prolonged morning stiffness or pain which may last 45 minutes or longer.
On the other hand, osteoarthritis patients symptoms typically improve within 30 minutes but may be aggravated during the day with use of the affected joints. Fibromyalgia patients often complain of generalized morning pain and stiffness that may not get better for hours. If you plan to see a doctor for initial diagnosis and treatment of your arthritis, make sure you can convey how you feel in the morning.
Relieving Morning Stiffness
You can be happy to know that what is causing your morning stiffness can be avoided or corrected... Here are 10 easy things you can do to make a big difference in your life.
1) Be sure to get ample deep sleep, so your body can repair and recharge. Forget about those troubles or conversations or tasks that need addressing; they can be handled tomorrow. Also, be sure to sleep either on your side or on your back--as stomach sleeping causes unnecessary stress on the low back and spine.
2) If your room is drafty, seal the windows or door. If it is cold, try a space heater or using extra blankets to prevent that cold or dampness from stiffening your body.
3) Do some easy stretches while lying in bed, then sitting up in bed--such as bending to the front and sides. This will stretch and loosen the muscles and help flush them with more blood.
4) Take a hot shower. This serves as a means to induce sweating, promote blood circulation and release muscle spasms. Simply stand under the hot water and... relax.
5) After you are warmed up from the shower, do some gentle knee bends--as far as you can go without falling! You can hold on to something for balance, if needed. You don't have to go all the way down, either. These exercise almost 90% of the skeletal muscles. Find a counter, table or chair and use your hands for support. Then exhale and squat as low as you can go, then inhale and stand up again. Do 10 of these to get the morning blood flowing and creaky joints silent.
6) Drink the best water you can get. Often the tap water in our cities is not the freshest or safest. Even cities like Los Angeles have traces of psychiatric medicines and estrogenic-like compounds in its tap water--and these toxins build up in our systems over time, causing pain. It is advisable to drink either bottled water or reverse osmosis filtered water.
7) Eat better. Cut down on simple carbohydrates and start reading labels to avoid consuming more toxins. Simply eliminate all foods with artificial color, enriched white flour and artificial flavors / sweeteners (high fructose corn syrup, crystalline fructose and aspartame). If you don't know what it is, or have difficulty pronouncing it, avoid ingesting it.
8) Learn some coping mechanisms and stress management techniques, so that you're not lying awake all night thinking about your problems. Learning how to deal with toxic people in your life will both allow you to sleep better and reduce the stress-induced muscle spasms that cause pain.
9) Get some regular exercise. The idea is to go out and do some something physical with your body. Even a simple routine of 10000 steps a day (buy a pedometer!) will greatly improve your health!
10) Be the fashion police! You want to dress appropriately for these cold months, and you might do well to sleep in flannel pajamas or sweats. Remember, cold air causes muscles and joints to stiffen.
Ingrid Seward is editor and staff of Majesty magazine.
Question: Morning Stiffness - What's the Significance?
What is the significance of morning stiffness in the clinical picture of rheumatoid arthritis patients? Does it mean the patient is only stiff in the morning? Is it only characteristic of rheumatoid arthritis or of other forms of arthritis too?
Answer: Do your joints feel stiff when you wake up in the morning? This is a common question asked by doctors who take care of patients with arthritis. If the answer is yes, they might ask how long it takes to improve -- you know, how long before morning stiffness subsides.
Not everyone with arthritis feels stiff in the morning. Instead of stiffness, some complain they hurt more in the morning or describe discomfort without pain. The duration of symptoms in the morning is an important clue as to what type of arthritis you may have. For example, rheumatoid arthritis or lupus patients often complain of prolonged morning stiffness or pain which may last 45 minutes or longer.
On the other hand, osteoarthritis patients symptoms typically improve within 30 minutes but may be aggravated during the day with use of the affected joints. Fibromyalgia patients often complain of generalized morning pain and stiffness that may not get better for hours. If you plan to see a doctor for initial diagnosis and treatment of your arthritis, make sure you can convey how you feel in the morning.
Relieving Morning Stiffness
You can be happy to know that what is causing your morning stiffness can be avoided or corrected... Here are 10 easy things you can do to make a big difference in your life.
1) Be sure to get ample deep sleep, so your body can repair and recharge. Forget about those troubles or conversations or tasks that need addressing; they can be handled tomorrow. Also, be sure to sleep either on your side or on your back--as stomach sleeping causes unnecessary stress on the low back and spine.
2) If your room is drafty, seal the windows or door. If it is cold, try a space heater or using extra blankets to prevent that cold or dampness from stiffening your body.
3) Do some easy stretches while lying in bed, then sitting up in bed--such as bending to the front and sides. This will stretch and loosen the muscles and help flush them with more blood.
4) Take a hot shower. This serves as a means to induce sweating, promote blood circulation and release muscle spasms. Simply stand under the hot water and... relax.
5) After you are warmed up from the shower, do some gentle knee bends--as far as you can go without falling! You can hold on to something for balance, if needed. You don't have to go all the way down, either. These exercise almost 90% of the skeletal muscles. Find a counter, table or chair and use your hands for support. Then exhale and squat as low as you can go, then inhale and stand up again. Do 10 of these to get the morning blood flowing and creaky joints silent.
6) Drink the best water you can get. Often the tap water in our cities is not the freshest or safest. Even cities like Los Angeles have traces of psychiatric medicines and estrogenic-like compounds in its tap water--and these toxins build up in our systems over time, causing pain. It is advisable to drink either bottled water or reverse osmosis filtered water.
7) Eat better. Cut down on simple carbohydrates and start reading labels to avoid consuming more toxins. Simply eliminate all foods with artificial color, enriched white flour and artificial flavors / sweeteners (high fructose corn syrup, crystalline fructose and aspartame). If you don't know what it is, or have difficulty pronouncing it, avoid ingesting it.
8) Learn some coping mechanisms and stress management techniques, so that you're not lying awake all night thinking about your problems. Learning how to deal with toxic people in your life will both allow you to sleep better and reduce the stress-induced muscle spasms that cause pain.
9) Get some regular exercise. The idea is to go out and do some something physical with your body. Even a simple routine of 10000 steps a day (buy a pedometer!) will greatly improve your health!
10) Be the fashion police! You want to dress appropriately for these cold months, and you might do well to sleep in flannel pajamas or sweats. Remember, cold air causes muscles and joints to stiffen.