Arthritis Care Awareness Week 2018

Arthritis Care Awareness Week this year is from 14th May to 21st May, with World Autoimmune Arthritis Day falling on 20th May. UK organisations Arthritis Care and Arthritis Research UK are joining forces this year to create greater awareness for arthritis. Together, these two charities have more volunteers and can hold more campaigns and events to do greater things for people with arthritis. The two generously campaigning networks of these charities will work together towards a better future for those with arthritis.

You can help, too! Join the campaigners in the network and push together with thousands of others for a greater understanding and better care for people with arthritis through life-transforming awareness and political action.

Arthritis in the UK

In the UK, 10 million adults alone suffer from arthritis – it affects people of all ages, including children. Arthritis is an invisible condition, and it is often ignored because the effects cannot be seen. People don’t talk about it – not unless they wonder if the complaints are real. They don’t know what it really is or how it actually affects people. Arthritis does, however, have a very real and great impact on the nation. It affects those who have it and their families, friends, and people at work, too. In the UK, it is the top cause of disability and pain.

Arthritis is a common condition, but it is such a misunderstood one. It is therefore often overlooked. Arthritis causes pain, stiffness and swelling in the joints that can’t be seen on the surface. This can heavily impact normal functioning. For almost 80% of those with arthritis, pain is a daily experience. At work, even simple adjustments can be made to help people with the condition continue to work and be productive. Sadly, these adjustments are rarely made because employers don’t understand. Over 30 million work days are lost as a result. This has a great impact on both workers and businesses. Almost 90% of people with the condition describe it as life-restricting and debilitating (according to a 2018 survey of 3,000 sufferers).

Arthritis is a term used to describe several different conditions, which include the autoimmune variety (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis), and osteoarthritis (affecting the bones. The condition can also affect muscles and joints all over the body. More than the pain, arthritis causes fatigue. There is no cure for the condition, but there are many different treatments and therapies and exercises that can help improve quality of life for someone with arthritis – and those around them.

This invisible condition can attack any and all parts of the body. It can make movement painful as well as difficult. Just the most basic motions of sitting, standing, walking and holding things can be a trial. 25% of people with arthritis have it for over 20 years.This debilitating condition become a major public health concern in the UK because of the lack of proper care. Improvements must be made in access to treatments and support to medical professionals. More must be done to help people with arthritis so that they can live the normal lives that they long for.

Arthritis impacts every aspect of life. It strains mental health, personal and professional relationships, and more. It takes quality time away from people, robbing them of valuable experiences with loved ones, and stealing away their ability to make a living for themselves and their families. Arthritis is a long-term condition, and as such, its symptoms can have a marked impact on mental health, taking a huge emotional toll. The biggest challenge according to survey respondents is acceptance. They struggle with not being able to do all the things they used to do, and with the fatigue and worry that go along with the condition. They dread the impact that their disability will have on them. They grieve for the future of those who depend on them.

Taking Part

At the Bamboo Pillow, we applaud the joint efforts of arthritis awareness organisations in the UK. We are excited for all the campaigners who will be coming together across the UK to make a real difference for people with arthritis. For our part, we would like to share some information about pain and how having a proper position during sleep can significantly reduce it and its effects, as well as how quality sleep also helps to reduce pain and other symptoms.

Sleeping time is time for our bodies to rest from the day-to-day stresses that it goes through during the average day. We don’t normally think about it much, but even just going from a sitting to a standing position or holding our heads as they move around are quite strenuous movements. This is especially true for someone who has arthritis.

When we sleep in a poor position at night, we make matters worse. When the body is in an unusual position, it cannot rest properly because there is additional strain placed on it, and this happens throughout the night. It should be relaxing to recover, but instead it keeps on working, making it become weaker and weaker as time passes. The body then cries out in pain because it is forced to work too hard.

The 3D Bamboo Memory Foam Pillow is a specially designed pillow that helps you get better rest. This pillow is made to take your shape so that you can stay comfortable as you get the support that your head, neck and shoulders need. The head is a very heavy body part. It needs to rest on a surface that can support its weight, but also remains soft. Because it is so heavy, yoru head normally puts a lot of pressure on the surface that it rests on. This can cause pain when that surface pushes back. This 3D pillow is designed so that it can give support but not push back, leaving you comfortable and preventing the pressure that causes pain.

The neck can grow very tired carrying the heavy head around all day. Your head can’t normally rest throughout the day like other body parts can when you sit down or lean back. The neck alone must bear its weight and make it move every which way. Your neck is quite strong, but it needs a lot of rest to remain that way. When your neck grows too tired, it must draw support from the shoulders, and that’s not their only job. The shoulders therefore work overtime. We don’t normally feel neck pain because the shoulders help, but this means that they are the ones that get strained and feel the pain.

This 3D pillow is designed in such a way that you can shape it to follow the curves of your head, neck and shoulders. This allows you to get the perfect cushioning effect when you sleep. The memory foam material gives your tired neck and shoulders the same quality support as the head so they can all rest comfortably and regain strength for the next day, no matter if you sleep on your side, back, or stomach. Moreover, this is important because when your neck can rest properly, your spine can realign. Regular daily activities can cause the spine to be moved in many different ways. It needs to get back into the proper place; otherwise, it will feel too much strain and start to give you pain.

The Cooling Memory Foam bamboo Mattress Topper has the same effect on the rest of your body, plus it has a cooling layer to help you sleep more soundly. Research says that lower temperatures during sleep help improve sleep quality. This topper has a layer of cooling gel that regulates your body temperature to keep it at a good level. This prevents sleep disruptions that come from overheating or changes in temperature. Together, the memory foam and cooling gel layer together help you get better sleep so you can rest properly and wake up rested. Moreover, when you get quality sleep, you tend to feel less pain because you are properly recovered from the day’s stresses. You also have more energy and are able to do more – and do it more productively.

Do you know someone who suffers from body pains? Do you know someone who could use a better night’s sleep? Order today and give the best gift of greater wellness.