Today we are talking about Arthritis and in this post we aim to share a simple message and empower you with some resources.
If you are living with one of the many types of arthritis, most commonly Osteoarthritis (OA) and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), and it is affecting your hands, there are MANY things you can do to help.
The old myth you may have heard – “It’s just arthritis – there is nothing you can do…” – has essentially been debunked.
Our message at Sandhurst Specialist Hand Clinic, aligns with that of the Peak Body at Arthritis Australia – YOU CAN LIVE WELL WITH ARTHRITIS.
Make sure you visit the Arthritis Australia website and look at their amazing printable resources.
We’ve attached a few printable handouts here for your reference. More knowledge may help give you more control:
- Understanding Arthritis
- Specific information for Arthritis of the Hands and Wrists.
- At Home with Arthritis reviews managing day to day tasks using Joint Protection and many other strategies.
At Sandhurst Specialist Hand Clinic, we CAN help you manage the arthritis of your hands and arms.
It starts with a detailed discussion and examination of your hands in the clinic. Frome there a TAILORED treatment program specific to your needs will be devised.
We can draw upon many types of treatment including home exercise, ways to manage pain, splints or braces, and joint protection advice. More about this to follow in a later blog.
Importantly, we work together with the rest of your treating healthcare team, especially you GP.
Your Doctor may even be able to provide you with a referral to attend via an Enhanced Primary Care or EPC Plan allowing you a Medicare rebate to attend up to 5 visits with us per calendar year.
You can live well with arthritis and here at Sandhurst Specialist Hand Clinic, for patients in Bendigo, Castlemaine, Echuca, Swan Hill and anywhere in between – we can help you. Give our friendly staff a call or lodge an enquiry online via the website.
Look out for future blogs with more information about specific treatments used by our Hand Therapists in the management of Arthritis.