—Continued on page 7
Your guide
to menopause
Join us for
healthy living!
Dental clinic’s
first anniversary
Helping Make Life Better
A JOURNAL DEVOTED TO HEALTHFUL L I V I NG
SPR I NG
2014
SOME
things you just have to
put up with—annoying relatives,
your spouse singing in the shower—
but arthritis pain isn’t one of them.
You may think such aches and
pains are just part of getting older
and must be endured. But that’s not
true. There are many things you can
do to help yourself feel better.
Here are a few suggestions from
the Arthritis Foundation:
Don’t delay.
If you have painful
joints but haven’t been diagnosed
with arthritis, see your doctor. Start-
ing treatment for the condition early
may relieve pain and help protect
your joints from further damage.
Check your options.
There may
be new medicines on the market
since you were last prescribed an
arthritis treatment. If your current
medicine isn’t working well, ask your
doctor if a different medicine or
dosage might help. However, don’t
change your dosage without consult-
ing a physician first.
Move that body.
It may seem like
exercise is a bad idea for someone
with arthritis, but the opposite is
true. Keeping fit makes your muscles
and bones stronger and can actu-
ally reduce your pain. You just need
to do activities that are safe for you.
Good choices may include walking
or swimming. Your doctor can give
you more advice.
Lighten your load.
Shedding
excess weight through diet and
exercise can help reduce pressure on
your joints.
Play in the dirt.
Planting a
garden can get you outside into the
fresh air and burn extra calories too.
Plus, it can yield beautiful, delicious
and nutritious results.
Get your mind off it.
Distraction
can work wonders when it comes to
pain. Read a book, listen to music,
see a movie, visit friends or choose
other activities you enjoy.
When to see a doctor
Joint pain may be caused by
something as simple as weight gain.
A R T H R I T I S
What you can do
to manage the pain
Halifax Regional Health System is adding
talent. This summer, two new orthopedic
surgeons are joining our team.
