At 28, you’re young – your whole life is in front of you. You make decisions and forge ahead. And then, like a hammer, it comes; the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The diagnosis seems to ruin everything. Now, the perfect career is anything but – it’s too challenging with RA. You feel different from everyone else –… Read more »
Year: 2013
My journey with chronic pain
Contributed by: Sara Gilbert Nadler-Goldstein Reviewed by: Elsbeth McSorley, MA When one lives their life on a daily basis, no one would ever imagine in the course of a second it would change forever. I never thought that I would be victim of those very words. On May 24, 2003 I was in a… Read more »
Collaboration of care at its finest
Contributed by: Sara Gilbert Nadler-Goldstein Reviewed by: Elsbeth McSorley, MA When working as a Medical Social Worker I would say to my patients and families that anyone’s life can change in a split second. However, I never thought that I would be victim of my own words. In May 2003 I was in an automobile… Read more »
Introduction to gout
What is gout? Who gets it? Gout is a type of painful, inflammatory (red, swollen) arthritis. It’s caused by buildup of a salt called uric acid in the joints and other places in the body. It’s the most common type of inflammatory arthritis in men over 40, and is common in men even in their… Read more »
When more than one joint hurts
When you think about arthritis, it’s very important to remember that it isn’t just one condition. In fact, there are more than 100 kinds of arthritis that can affect the joints in your body. Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common type of arthritis, affecting more than 27 million Americans. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is second most common, affecting more than 1.3… Read more »
My journey with pain, children, gardening, and spirituality
Contributed by: Sue Reviewed by: Kevin L. Zacharoff, MD, February 2013 When you’re hurting physically or emotionally, it can be hard to find meaning and purpose in everyday life. You might ask yourself, “Why me? Why now? There’s so much I want to do, but the pain is all I can think about.” Meet Sue. She’s… Read more »
Tips for getting around in the winter
Contributed by: Michael Reviewed by: Jonas I. Bromberg, Psy.D. Living with chronic pain is a daily challenge. Your doctors and other healthcare providers can help you with medicines, physical therapy, and other treatments. But for coping with everyday life, the best advice often comes from other people like yourself—people with chronic pain. Snow can be… Read more »
Spirituality, religion, and chronic pain: Making a difference in non-traditional ways
A life that’s totally free of chronic pain is a great goal. But for some people, that goal is just out of reach. So if medication and other doctor-recommended treatments haven’t removed all of your pain, what’s left to bring comfort? For many people, “what’s left” has been part of their lives all along –… Read more »
Bolstering your resiliency
What is resiliency? Think of being resilient as the ability to bounce back in the face of difficulties. For people with chronic pain, it means not letting symptoms interfere with living a full life. Resiliency also may make you feel better; experts have found that people with positive outlooks often experience less pain and stress…. Read more »
