Living With Arthritis

on health Living With Arthritis (NAPSA)—Approximately 70 million Americans have arthritis and a new survey by the Rippe Lifestyle Institute shows many are living with arthritis pain needlessly because they don’t know which medicationsare safe. Among people with arthritis who heard recent news about pain relievers, 48 percent reduced or stopped taking their medication; of those, 68 percent reported a poorer quality oflife. Says Dr. James Rippe: “We learned from our survey that since these patients are confused, many have stopped or reduced their use of pain relievers. The result is a significant negative impact on their quality of life, that has even forced some patients to limit their daily activities.” According to Dr. Rippe, inactivity can lead to more serious conditions such as weight gain, high blood pressure and diabetes. Patients need to understand the implications of untreated arthritis pain and talk to their doctors about which treatment options they should use. Many doctors these days suggest an over the counter medication such as Aleve.