Marium Wheeler has dealt with severe arthritis in her hands for more than seven years. Her fingers are so affected they appear mangled.
“I can’t do simple tasks,” the 72 year old grandmother of six said. She is excellent physical shape, with no heart trouble and and no weight complications. “I can’t button my own shirt, I can’t lift my grandchildren, the list of things I can’t do outweighs the things I can.”
While Wheeler is on several medications to alleviate the symptoms, it’s still something she has to deal with everyday. She is one of 21 million Americans that deal with arthritis.
A new study looked at the toll this debilitating disorder can take on quality of life.
Arthritis, creating hurdles in life
The survey, published in Arthritis Care and Research, showed 27% of people with arthritis reported fair or poor overall health. Adults were likely to have multiple days a month where their condition stopped them from doing what they wanted. This effected their overall mood, diminishing happiness and increasing depression.
Researchers believe this survey should encourage doctors to create a treatment plan that does more than help with joint pain.
“Given the projected high prevalence of arthritis in the U.S., interventions should address both physical health and mental health,” Researcher Sylvia Furner, MPH, PhD, of the school of public health at the University of Illinois at Chicago said in a news release.
Looking for answers
Wheeler did go back to her doctor to talk about her arthritis and she is now using a new treatment plan with different medications and exercises that may strengthen her hands.
“I’ll do whatever I can to have my life back,” she said. “When my hands started to flair up with arthritis I had no idea it would be this bad. I had no idea it would literally change the way I live my life.”
Wheeler says she optimist about her new treatment plan and hopes for some relief.
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