LIFE COACH Our experts answer your questions
Q A READER’S RESPONSE
An interesting aside, from an exercising perspective, is the difference between sports drinks and energy drinks. It is a specific and important difference. Energy drinks contain stimulants, primarily caffeine and sugar, which give a temporary boost to performance. If these are being used by athletes, then they can be taken prior to physical activities but never during the activity. Sports drinks, on the other hand, are designed to be taken by athletes during the activity itself. I am 40 years old, and have recently been diagnosed with osteoarthritis. My symptoms are manageable but I am fearful for the future. My grandmother was crippled with arthritis from a young age and bedridden much of her life. Catherine Mumford It is understandable that you should have concerns about the future, having seen your grandmother’s example, but there are many reasons why the prospects for anyone with arthritis of any type are now so much better. A general point is that OA does not inevitably get worse – often it reaches a certain point and goes no further. Unfortunately, new drugs to halt its progress have not yet arrived but we now have a better understanding of the overall management of arthritis that can and does achieve good results. Effective and appropriate use of painkillers, proper exercise and posture advice at home and work, healthy eating, good-quality information on the different types of arthritis and the sharing of information with others who have the same experiences are increasingly being brought together under the umbrella of selfmanagement plans for arthritis. Find out more at arthritiscare. org.uk/livingwitharthritis/selfmanagement. If your current symptoms are indeed the start of a more generalised pattern of OA, then it would be worth asking your GP if you should see a rheumatologist to confirm the type of arthritis and get more specialised advice. I asked my dentist about my constant mouth ulcers, and she advised that the lining of my mouth was thinning as I aged (I am 72). Consequently, I tried a milder, herbal toothpaste and my mouth is very much improved. Judy Perryman, by email