28 Jan Four in ten Suffolk arthritis sufferers say relationships are negatively impacted
NEARLY 4M Brits suffering with arthritis are unnecessarily living with pain because they avoid taking medication or simply haven’t found medication that works, according to a new study.
According to the research by FutureYouCambridge, one in ten arthritis sufferers in the Suffolk area are avoiding painkillers due to fear of side effects or addiction, and six in ten say they try to avoid taking over-the-counter pain relief. A third say they’ve not yet found a medication that works for them.
For half of the estimated 10 million Brits who have the debilitating condition, arthritis has a negative impact on life every single day. The study also found that sufferers no longer feel they can do things they used to with six in ten revealing they exercise less, 57% saying it affects their sleep and over a third (35%) saying they socialise less. Four in ten (41%) say it has a negative impact on their relationships. A fifth of those in Suffolk are having less sex.
Besides impairing quality of life, arthritis also affects emotional wellbeing. Over half (54%) say it makes them irritable and short-tempered and 55% feel frustrated. The condition also leaves 51% of sufferers feeling old, tired (43%) and useless (19%). Worryingly, a quarter (24%) report feeling depressed.
The study also showed that sufferers could be living in pain unnecessarily. Two thirds (64%) have accepted their pain is part of everyday life and an inevitable part of ageing (28%). Almost two thirds (62%) say they have lived with the condition for more than five years.
Little wonder then that there’s a willingness to find alternative solutions. Four in ten are open to trying food supplements or herbal remedies as an alternative, but only 14% have considered using turmeric to manage their pain – despite significant research demonstrating evidence of its anti-inflammatory properties.
David is 73 years old and has been a keen golfer for many years. After experiencing problems with his knees, he went to the Doctors and was diagnosed with arthritis and he found that he had to massively reduce his golfing as he couldn’t get round the course. After discovering Turmeric+ by FutureYou Cambridge, he’s now been able to get back out on the course and rediscover his love of golf.
Turmeric is a plant that has been used for centuries in cooking and traditional medicine and is known to contain a powerful active ingredient, of curcumin, which has many anti-inflammatory properties. Inflammation is behind many of the unpleasant symptoms of arthritis. FutureYou Cambridge, which conducted the research, has created a patented supplement called Turmeric+ that is 30x more absorbable than standard turmeric due to the curcumin being combined with soy lecithin and also incorporates other micronutrients ingredients to help joint health.
FutureYou conducted the study to raise awareness of the problems many arthritis sufferers are dealing with on a regular basis and highlight the ways the issues can be tackled. The study comes in the wake of Public Health England’s recent review from September 2019 that found 1 in 4 Brits are addicted to painkillers.
