Managing Your Arthritis

Written by: Mary Anne Dunkin Reviewed by: Robert Gordon Published by: Class Publishing (London) Ltd 2005 ISBN: 1 85959 121 3 Price: £17.99 **	Available from the BackCare Shop
** Available to visitors to our website for £15.99 inc p&p - saving £5 on the normal mail order price. This comprehensive book is the UK version of a guide originally published by the Arthritis Foundation in the United States. It is intended to help people with arthritis or related diseases to understand and manage their condition. The book is clearly set out with chapters describing the many kinds of arthritis that occur, how arthritis i s diagnosed, the health professional who may be involved, drug treatments, surgery and other ways to ease symptoms, including exercise, alternative therapies and lifestyle issues. The author emphasises that, in receiving treatment, arthritis sufferers should take a central and active role within their own healthcare team. The idea is to control your arthritis rather than allowing arthritis to control your life.
The book covers the whole range of arthritis-related conditions and issues in sufficient depth to assist understanding and also refers the reader to more detailed sources of information. It has a helpful index a nd glossary, and readers can easily find information on their own symptoms and conditions without having to read the whole volume. Overall, it is a well-written, useful and optimistic book.