Of Robot Mornings and 24/7 pain...

Morning experiences vary - you can have a jolt, or a lazy, dragging type, maybe a hangover headache, or the best...a pleasant refreshed feeling where bird tweets are musical and ethereal.These feelings wane off as the day goes, taken over by the concerns of the day.

Mornings for people with rheumatoid arthritis  is decidedly different. The joints of the hands, wrists, elbows, shoulders, knees, ankles and feet are painful and stiff - getting up is slow and robot-like. Being young to middle age and female does not help. Mornings are about being up and going -  for kids getting ready for school, for that new job assignment, that trip, the upcoming dinner with the boyfriend... the works. Many can be mislabeled as acting out or lazy. This is the age when life is at its peak, productively and reproductively!

photo from Microsoft clip art

Add to this the fact that the pain stays for the rest of the day and on to the tomorrows. What do we do when we have a headache or toothache or even other forms of arthritis? We take a pain pill and expect the pain to go. With rheumatoid arthritis, its a 24/7 proposition of pain and stiffness, which improves a bit with movement and activity, but comes back especially after resting.

Rheumatoid arthritis patients can avoid both the emotional and physical ravages of the illnes, through proper treatment. A rheumatologist should be the health care provider to consult. Check out one near you!

In the Philippines, check out: www.philippinerheumatology.org