CPD – Having an Arthritis Flare Up, What Can You Do?

Having an arthritis flare up is pretty common in the UK, where there are more than 10 million people who have this condition or similar illness that affects their joints. It is a condition that causes pain and inflammation in a joint. Even though it often affects adults, children can also experience it too.

The two most common types that cause this issue are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis is the condition when the joint gets pain and stiffness because of a problem with the smooth cartilage lining of the joint. Once that starts to rough and thin out, the tendons and ligaments have to work harder. Therefore, it causes swelling and the formation of bony spurs.

On the other hand, rheumatoid is one of the rarest types that causes arthritis flare up. It only impacts a person between the ages of 40 and 50. Women are 3 times more likely to be affected. This happens when the body’s immune system targets affected joints, which leads to pain and swelling. It can spread across the joint and cause more problems, with the worst result in the bone and cartilage breaking down.

What does an arthritis flare up feel like?

Arthritis flare up causes symptoms like pain in the affected joints. Often, it has a burning or throbbing sensation. The ache comes as you move or even when resting. Also, the joints may appear swollen, and you can feel the warm sensation around it or even feel it hot to the touch. In some cases, people experience redness. 

Moreover, you can feel stiffness and limited movement in your joints. There is going to be a tight feeling, making it hard to bend or straighten them. The movement feels restricted, and it gives you the feeling that the joint is “locked up”. When your arthritis flare up, your daily activities can be affected.

Course Preview

The CPD – Having an Arthritis Flare Up, What Can You Do? course has the information for the participants to understand more about this condition. Moreover, they need to know how to handle this issue and prevent it before it gets worse since it causes pain and uncomfortable feelings in the joints. Therefore, this course will help the participants to learn about:

1. Understanding arthritis flare up and the common triggers
2. Spotting the symptoms and how they impact daily life and mental well-being
3. Self-management plan
4. Lifestyle changes and coping mechanisms

In doing so, they can help themselves and also their surroundings that are affected by this condition. This training can provide you with relevant information on how to ease the pain and make you feel more comfortable when it happens. By the end of the course, they can manage arthritis flare up effectively.

Learning Plan

This course allows the participants to acquire all competencies regarding how arthritis flare up work and how they usually occur. It can help them to spot the symptoms early so they can create plans to handle it. Also, there are going to be lifestyle changes that the participants have to understand to lower the chance of happening. The materials that learners will get from this training are:

• Introduction to arthritis flare up
• Knowing and managing the symptoms
• Self-care strategies and lifestyle changes
• Medications and treatment options

This learning plan ensures the participants will have both theoretical knowledge and practical skills to manage this condition. Therefore, we encourage them to participate in activities like interactive questions and demonstrations for a better experience. Also, the course is based on professionals’ knowledge and experience in this field. Lastly, the learners will obtain a qualification at the end of the course.

Entry Criteria

The CPD – Having an Arthritis Flare Up, What Can You Do? course is available for everyone interested in this training without special education required. However, we encourage you to have a basic knowledge of arthritis and joint health. This is also suitable for people with this condition, as well as caregivers and healthcare workers.

Causes of arthritis flare up

Several factors can cause your arthritis flare up. The triggers can come from different types of disease, such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid, psoriatic, or gout. Besides those, this condition has its common causes for inflammation. It can be the lifestyle or even environmental changes. Therefore, here are the most common causes for this problem that will be elaborated by the speaker in the training:

Overuse joints

When you are doing repetitive movements or excessive physical activity, it can wear your joints out. In short, repetitive motions damage the protective cartilage, which leads to breakdown over time and triggers the development of arthritis. Sometimes, activities like typing on a computer can cause you to catch this condition because of performing the same tasks repeatedly. Often, it affects athletes with high-impact sports and people who regularly carry heavy loads.

Emotional well-being

Your emotional well-being can be the reason why your arthritis flare up. It happens through the release of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. In this situation, your immune system will get confused and attack healthy joint tissues. Stress or emotional well-being is not considered a direct cause of the disease, but it can worsen the symptoms.

Poor diet and inflammatory foods

When you are eating unhealthy foods, it can trigger inflammation in the body. Then, it can worsen arthritis symptoms. All of this happens because of the ingredients of the food, such as saturated fats, added sugar, trans fats, and alcohol. Other than that, it causes you to gain weight and puts pressure on weight-bearing joints like the knees, hips, and lower back.

How long does an arthritis flare up last?

An arthritis flare up can last for a few hours to weeks. It depends on the type of it and the person’s health condition. For example, osteoarthritis can last up to 8 days on average. However, in some cases, it only lasts for a few hours. Also, rheumatoid arthritis can last less than three days. Most of the time, the duration and intensity can vary.

You need to seek a medical review if the arthritis flare up does not improve after 7 days, especially if it is gradually getting worse. However, there are some ways to manage this condition, such as taking anti-inflammatory medicines or using ice, compression, or bracing. Most importantly, do not leave it hanging because it can last for months without treatment.

Handle your arthritis flare up with the College of Contract Management

Millions of people are suffering from arthritis flare up in the UK, causing them to feel pain, stiffness, and inflammation in the joints. Meanwhile, the most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as the less common forms like psoriatic arthritis and gout. Indications such as joint pain, swelling, and restricted movement impact people’s daily lives and mental health.

Therefore, the College of Contract Management can help you to manage those symptoms with the CPD – Having an Arthritis Flare Up, What Can You Do? course. You can learn about the effective methods to ease the pain and even get rid of it. Also, the course provides you with information like the causes of this condition or how to handle it to prevent and cope with the inflammation. 

Moreover, you have to know what can trigger this medical problem before you can manage the symptoms. It can be from your repetitive movement, emotional stress, or even poor dietary choices that can cause inflammation. Through professional guidance from this training, you will be able to control the condition, enhance your well-being, and support people who are affected by this illness.

To ensure the quality of the course, the CPD – Having an Arthritis Flare Up, What Can You Do? course is still in development. If there are any updates about this training, they will be shared on this course page. However, you can take a look at other courses that are available on this site while waiting. If you want to ask questions, we encourage you to contact the CCM team through email.