worse at certain times of the day.
“If I notice that a patient has higher pain scores in the morning versus in the evening, I may tailor my medication management to that,” Wright shares.
Does anything ease your pain? In your journal, make note of what you’ve tried and what helped or hurt. Options could include heat or ice, rest or over-the-counter pain medicine.
Be aware that it could take a while to find relief. Being able to communicate your pain will help get you closer to a solution.
“It’s a trial-and-error process,” Wright notes. “You might go through several medications before you get the best combination.”
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Keep up with your condition
According to the Mayo Clinic, arthritis is a leading cause of pain and disability worldwide. You can ease the pain of arthritis with exercise, medication and stress reduction. However, determining what works best for you will require you to keep up with your condition and notify your doctor any anything changes.
Here are some do’s and don’ts to help you figure it out:
No matter what your condition is, it will be easier to stay ahead of your pain if you:
- Learn all you can about your condition, what it means and whether any of your joints are already damaged
- Enlist your doctor, friends and family in managing your pain
- Tell your doctor if your pain changes