By Daily Mail Reporter
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Painful: Sufferers of arthritis could benefit from psychological intervention, according to experts
Arthritis sufferers could have their pain eased by learning to cope with the condition through counselling, scientists have claimed.
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) could help rheumatoid arthritis victims manage their pain by allowing them to control their debilitating symptoms.
Experts believe psychotherapy treatment works because it helps people focus on overcoming negative thoughts, which alter the way they feel.
A resulting positive outlook helps keep pain and adversity in context, allowing arthritis sufferers to cope with the condition.
The 104 rheumatoid arthritis sufferers who took part in a recent study were selected for one of several treatments.
The study, carried out by Louise Sharpe from the University of Sydney and published in the journal Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, compared CBT with its separate components of cognitive therapy and behavioural therapy.
Patients who took part were analysed at the start, post-treatment and six months later on, where disease activity, joint function, disability and psychological functioning were measured.
The results found that cognitive therapy, which involves identifying and changing dysfunctional thinking, behaviour and emotions, was an effective treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, and that behavioural therapy was not necessarily needed.
Widespread: Rheumatoid arthritis affects almost 700,000 Britons and is said to be more prevalent in women
Clare Jacklin, of the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society, said the organisation 'welcomes psychological intervention for people living with rheumatoid arthritis'.
She told the Daily Express: 'Existing and emerging evidence suggests it (psychological intervention) plays an important role in patient care yet very few people with RA are offered such interventions.
'Those who are, often have to display symptoms of depression before any referral is made.
'Prevention is better than cure and we believe everyone with a diagnosis should be able to access psychological support and therapy as required.'
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Actually there may be something in this. I was diagnosed some 4 years ago and was put on a range of drugs with awful side effects. Despite these I was in constant and terrible pain. Having been told that there was a high chance of being wheelchair bound in three years I determined that I would make the most of my remaining time rather than give up, go on benefits and claim my blue badge. I continued to play golf every weekend despite the agony of gripping the club. Slowly the pain decreased until now my drug use is minimal and I feel perfectly normal, even fraudulent for using valuable NHS resources! I may have just been lucky but I do believe that Nature is the best doctor
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Rubbish, complete rubbish. I've tried 'convincing myself' it's not 'all that bad' unfortunately, my brain tells me I'm in 'agony' no matter what I try to do to ease the pains of 2 types of athritis. No doubt they've been paid a lot of money to do these 'trials' and they have to show some sort of improvements otherwise they get labelled as money grabbing know it alls.Or, maybe that's what they are!!!!!!!!!!!!
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BULL-POO!
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In fairness I can see the idea of positive thinking being helpful. However it is VERY hard to stay positive when your life is changed beyond recognition due to RA. The pain is unbelievable, I can no longer work, am skint because I am now on benefits, hardly leave the house etc etc. Side effects of medication are as debilitating as the disease itself. Until you have this, it is impossible to fully understand what it is like.
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course it can! if i brake my leg,forget hospitals , i'm going straight to a councilor.
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What utter rubbish! I've had rheumatoid arthritis for 14 years since the age of 26 and its my immune system attacking my joints which physically shows in swollen and twisted joints. Everyone including my rheumatology nurses say how positive I am about my disease and how I handle it well but I am still in a tremendous amount of pain and at one point I was on Fentanyl patches and Oramorph while I was in hospital having bi-lateral hip replacements. I am of the opinion that I have the disease and can't change it so try and manage as best I can but still experience constant pain and depression now and then. I think they would have a different attitude if they had RA, I'd like to see them try CBT. I also think they should read these comments as those of us who think its hogwash also have the disease and know what we are talkiing about!
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But what if it works? I'm not sure sufferers are just being told to "get a grip" - that's not what CBT is. Surely the more pressing point is that it's had good results and yet most of us will only be offered it if we get properly depressed first. Personally, I'd try anything if it meant my symptoms felt more manageable, and I'm on every drug there is already.
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Anon, Bournemouth, 28/6/2012 08:09 .... Couldn't agree more! They can have mine any time. ........ I can't describe what the pain is like, or what the resultant dependency feels like. I would hazzard a guess that this is a form of cutting costs .... the treatment for RA is very costly and I think I'm just about to be cut loose. By the way, I don't get any care whatsoever, except for attending the clinic so that statistics on the effectiveness of the drugs can be gathered ....................These 'scientists' would be better employed trying to find out WHAT CAUSES IT!!!!!!!! ..............
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What rubbish! Apple cider vinegar is better than any counselling.
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I wish all these alleged "scientists" would get severe arthritis - and then have their wonderful (sic) treatment tested on themselves... without medication. What a bunch of hooey! - Anon, Bournemouth, 28........ I quite agree. These people are so full of themselves, the next thing they will be using "cognitive therapy" to pursuade themsleves they don't have their heads up their own backsides.
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