When a bit of exercise does your arthritis good!

I'm still on a little bit of a high after all the moving furniture yesterday.  I do ache all over and had to take painkillers last night, but I think the exercise did me good. 

It's amazing how the body can be 'pushed' to do things you don't think it can do. My rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia can cause considerable stiffness in my limbs. I have a particular problem with my knees and initially, yesterday, I was concerned that I wouldn't be able to cope with going up and down the stairs carrying boxes. Actually, apart from close to the finish where I ended up having to almost claw myself up the banisters to get boxes, I managed just fine. 

Apparently exercise is better for rheumatoid arthritis than sitting around 'resting' and I can certainly attest to that. At work I look after the Customer Service area and that means I am constantly moving around doing a variety of things. It also means that I can pace myself and move how I feel able to, without impacting on my body too much. I certainly notice if I sit around too much in the evening as, when I get up from the sofa, I'm all full of exclamations of annoyance trying to walk about. Neil has been known to laugh, albeit in sympathy, as he watches me hobble out to the kitchen. Sad huh? Once I'm up and about for ten minutes or so, I seem to be better at walking about without seeming to have to bend at an angle to accommodate the stiffness! 

I thought all the exercise yesterday would cause a flare up today, but so far so good. I'm so much better than I thought I would be, only just as stiff as I would expect if I was bodily healthy. It just goes to show that either my medication is really working, or I am not actually as bad as I think I am....or the doctors think I am? I do have blood tests regularly, and a yearly visit to the arthritis clinic, but it's something I need to think about! I've checked out more information on line about the arthritis because it's been ages since I have done that. The trouble is that you end up simply carrying on doing what you've always done, coping in the way you always have done, when in fact maybe you could be helping yourself in a different way? I do know that the recommendation is to strike a balance between rest and exercise. Rest will make inflamed joints feel more comfortable, but without movement the joints will stiffen and the muscles will become weaker. It all depends on how you as an individual feel. I haven't had a flare up for ages but in the beginning when Neil was ill I had a couple of days with my joints playing up. I definitely think stress plays a huge part in how I cope with it too. 

So for now, today, I feel ok. Neil seems on a high too. I think we both feel the satisfaction of doing something constructive...…….and getting a good night's sleep!

Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms

The main symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are joint pain, swelling and stiffness. It may also cause more general symptoms, and inflammation in other parts of the body.The symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis often develop gradually over several weeks, but some cases can progress quickly over a number of days and vary from person to person. They can come and go, and may change over time. You may occasionally experience flares when your condition deteriorates and your symptoms become more severe.

Rheumatoid arthritis mainly affects the joints. It can cause problems in any joint in the body, although the small joints in the hands and feet are often the first to be affected.It typically affects the joints symmetrically (both sides of the body at the same time and to the same extent), but this isn't always the case. As well as problems affecting the joints, some people with rheumatoid arthritis experience a range of more general symptoms, such as:

• tiredness and a lack of energy
• a high temperature (fever)
• sweating
• a poor appetite
• weight loss 

Fibromyalgia symptoms

Fibromyalgia has many symptoms that tend to vary from person to person. The main symptom is widespread pain.There may be periods when your symptoms get better or worse, depending on factors such as:

• your stress levels
• changes in the weather
• how physically active you are

If you have fibromyalgia, one of the main symptoms is likely to be widespread pain. This may be felt throughout your body, but could be worse in particular areas, such as your back or neck. The pain is likely to be continuous, although it may be better or more severe at different times and could feel like an ache, a burning sensation or even a sharp stabbing pain. It can also make you extremely sensitive to pain all over your body, and you may find that even the slightest touch is painful. Fibromyalgia can cause extreme tiredness and affect your sleep so you feel very fatigued. Worse still is something known as 'fibro-fog' where you have trouble concentrating on things or memory troubles.