Anyone who has suffered from arthritis can tell you it’s no picnic: Severe joint pain that can strike anywhere on your body, pain in your back and neck, stiffness, and swollen joints are all hallmarks of the condition. So, unfortunately, is limited mobility and an inability to enjoy life to the fullest.
Dr. Gurprit Sekhon and her team at Nu Wave Medical Center help patients living with arthritis enjoy life again by providing customized treatment that doesn’t just address your symptoms but offers a holistic approach to managing this chronic condition over the long term.
In addition to offering the most advanced treatments for arthritis, based on your current symptoms and history of pain, Dr. Sekhon is an internal medicine specialist. Since arthritis happens deep within your body, her concern is analyzing your condition from every angle, to better keep your pain and inflammation at bay.
Dr. Sekhon works with you to establish pain management strategies that you can enact at home as well. In other words, to manage your arthritis pain successfully, it’s a team effort.
Dr. Sekhon’s top arthritis pain management tips include:
Excess pounds strain your joints, so maintaining a healthy weight goes a long way toward keeping your arthritis pain in check.
If you live with arthritis, moderation is key! Don’t go all “weekend warrior.” Instead, engage in gentle exercises that aren’t high impact, such as swimming and walking, which strengthen your joints, but doesn’t harm them. It’s also a good idea to steer clear of activities that involve repetitive motions, like tennis, as they speed up wear and tear on your joints.
Certainly, don’t ever start smoking, because it hurts you in so many ways, and quit if you do, ASAP. Toxins in cigarettes not only inhibit cartilage repair, but they’re also linked to loss of cartilage. A lose-lose situation all the way around.
Putting a heating pad on a painful joint for 15 minutes or so, or taking a warm bath can help quell arthritis pain, but don’t overdo it. You can alternate these treatments with ones that employ cold to soothe discomfort, like an ice pack after a workout. That way, you get the best from both soothing worlds.
Those who work doing physical labor, playing sports that require repetitive motions, or even just standing for long periods, are more likely to injure their joints. This sets you up for even worse arthritis. Always wear protective equipment, like knee pads and therapeutic gloves, if you’re performing a high-risk task or athletic activity.
There’s a role that OTC medications can play in the management of arthritis pain and other symptoms. Talk to Dr. Sekhon about the advised use of products like acetaminophen (TylenolⓇ) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) like aspirin and ibuprofen (AdvilⓇ), which ease pain and lower inflammation.
By incorporating these measures while treating your arthritis, you’re complimenting Dr. Sekhon’s excellent care. Dr. Sekhon can create a treatment plan that gives you the relief you’ve longed for, but she also takes a preventive approach with arthritis and encourages you to take targeted measures even if you haven’t felt a single symptom yet.
As an internal medicine specialist, Dr. Sekhon is trained to prevent, diagnose, treat, and manage arthritis, so if you’re one of the 54 million+ who suffers from it, you’re in the right place! As a physician who believes in the power of collaboration, she considers you a teammate in your wellness and is also ready to work with other clinicians who may play a role in caring for you, such as a physical therapist or orthopedist.
Dr. Sekhon’s goals in treating your arthritis are not only to relieve your symptoms, but to reduce joint damage, optimize the functionality of your joints, and ensure that your quality of life isn’t compromised by your condition.
Call Nu Wave Medical Center at 850-666-4726 to arrange for an arthritis consultation, or connect with us through our website.
