How to empower yourself with the arthritis self-management program

Arthritis can be a debilitating disease, but you don't need to let it control your life. Use these empowering tips to smooth your journey.

Those who have taken charge of their arthritis live by several guiding principles:

1. The patient's experience with his disease is unique — different from anyone else's who has ever had the disease — so no single treatment will work for everyone.
2. The patient, not his doctors, is the true expert when it comes to assessing how the disease is affecting him and how well treatments are working.
3. The patient, who must live with his disease every day, is the person best qualified to take charge of his treatment.

• Arthritis is no joke, but The Arthritis Society is here to help new and long-term sufferers live undefeated by their conditions. There are a number of programs and courses available to the arthritis patient in Canada.
• To find the office of your provincial or territorial division, call the society at 1-800-321-1433 or visit www.arthritis.ca.
• Aside from the local programs and courses offered by the division offices, there are also the following resources available:

ASMP is a program designed to help the person with arthritis to understand his condition, cope with chronic pain and take a driver's-side position in managing their arthritis. The class is open to the arthritis patient, as well as his partner, a close family member or friend so that they can become an active helper.

The CPMW is an optional add-on to the ASMP. It is a single-session course that explores different pain-coping methods and ways the person with arthritis can take a more active role in managing his pain.

This program looks at the lifestyle changes one can make to slow the onset of osteoarthritis and take some of the bite out of it when it finally strikes.

This program lists products that have arthritis-friendly designs or packaging, awarding such products with a recognizable logo, making it easier for people with arthritis to find helpful tools and solutions to some everyday problems.