Did You Overdo It Yesterday? Recovery For Arthritics
Guess what? Even if you have put together the most organized of plans to deal with your arthritis, there are going to be days when you wake up and feel like a garbage truck ran over you, because you just tried to do too much. That's OK, that happens to people who don't have arthritis either. Sometimes our bodies are just telling us that it's time to take a break. Here are some things you can do to make the recovery process easier.
If you regularly use an NSAID to manage your pain, then this may be a day when you want to up the dose a bit. If you usually take, for example, 3 Tylenols a day, today may be a day when you want to up that to 5 or 6 -- or add in some ibuprofen so that your liver doesn't suffer the aftereffects of too much acetaminophen. You don't want to do this all the time, but it might be a good strategy on a day when you know you've overdone it. Always check with your doctor before self-medicating, however.
Another way to deal with the discomfort of overdoing it is to get the heat pack or the ice pack out -- whichever is more successful in helping you get rid of those aches and pains. If you use a plastic ice pack, be sure to cover it in a thin cotton cloth so that you don't burn your skin. If you use a heat pack, be sure to read the instructions so that you don't hurt yourself.
The most important source of information about your health is your body. It will tell you if it needs to slow down and rest or if it's OK to get back up and start being energetic again. If your body won't let you do anything, then listen to it and take it easy. When the pain subsides, then you can get up and work through the stiffness. Pain can be a message that it is time to let your body heal, though.
If your knees hurt, or your back is killing you, then just plopping down on the couch isn't going to relax you very much -- the pain will still be on your mind. Get out a book of sudoku puzzles or a book you've been wanting to finish. If the pain won't let you do those things, call one of your friends to come over and catch up on the gossip or play a game. These ideas will take your mind off the pain.
Don't force yourself back up onto your feet until your body says it's time. It's one thing if you have to go back to work, but if you have the time to relax, give it to yourself. This doesn't mean that you have to become a couch potato; it does mean that you should focus on things like stretching and relaxing instead of starting that old lawn mower or hand-cranking an ice cream freezer for 4 hours.
These tips will help you recover from a day of overdoing it as an arthritic. Don't let the pain and discomfort control you -- take ownership of your health.
