by charlie reese
At last count, some 70 million people in the U.S., or almost 1 in 4 of us, is afflicted with arthritis. Whether you have osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, it’s generally a painful deal. Most people with arthritis find that the cold months are most painful. Stiff, painful and swollen joints are the norm, which isn’t conducive to most forms of exercise. While exercise can actually improve the patient’s condition, it’s somewhat of a catch-22. Most exercise programs are simply too painful, resulting in ” you guessed it ” the patient dropping out of the program. There are medications available for people with rheumatoid arthritis which can slow down the progression of the disease. Osteoarthritis sufferers may be prescribed anti-inflammatory meds or pain killers, but that’s about the extent of what can be done in treating arthritis medically. Read more... (597 words, estimated 2:23 mins reading time)