Walking
If arthritis is making it harder for you to keep up with daily activities, there are many simple tools that can make your life easier. For walking, options range from specially designed shoe inserts called orthotics to braces, canes, crutches, and even walkers. Be sure to get these fitted by a health care professional. Even a simple cane that isn't the right height may do more harm than good.
Moving Room to Room
Make it easy to get around your home. Keep pathways clear and remove scatter rugs. Add extenders that convert doorknobs to levers, so you can open doors simply by pushing a handle up or down without twisting a knob. Use lamps that turn on and off with a tap to the base or sound-sensitive lamps that work with a clap of your hands. Switch adapters can make it easier to flip on regular lamps and lights.
In the Living Room
Sit in chairs that are easy to get in and out of. If your favorite chair is too low, consider adding risers that adjust its height. Get a remote control with large, easy-to-push buttons. And make sure there are plenty of light sources. Hunching over a book in dim light can strain your joints.
In the Kitchen
Kitchen utensils with padded or molded handles are much easier to pick up and hold. An electric can opener and fixed jar opener can reduce strain. Using a wheeled cart or even two-handled pots and pans can make it safer to carry items across the room. Reachers -- rods with grasping devices on the end -- work well for grabbing lightweight items. But remember that the long pole makes heavy cans even heavier to lift.
Getting Dressed
Buy slip-on shoes and clothes that close in the front with large buttons, hooks, or Velcro. Button hooks and zipper pulls can help you get dressed. Better yet, buy loose clothes that slip over your head. Shoehorns and sock aids can make it easier to slip on socks and shoes and mean you won't have to bend over to reach your feet.
Using the Shower and Toilet
Installing grab bars in the bathroom is especially important if you have problems with balance. A waterproof tub seat can keep you steady in the shower. Consider a raised toilet seat as well. This will make it easier to get up and down.
At the Sink
You can find many gadgets to help turn water on and off if your faucet is hard to use. Rubber grips can make handles easier to turn and adapters can turn traditional knobs into easy-to-use levers. You can find tools for opening medicine bottles, working tweezers, spraying aerosol cans, and squeezing eye drops. To make brushing easier, make sure your toothbrush has a padded or easy-to-grasp handle.
At Work or in a Home Office
Set up your computer desk so that you're looking straight at your screen, your wrists aren't bent, and there's no strain on your back or legs. You may want a keyboard with extra-large keys if you have arthritis in your hands or fingers. Consider using a headset or earpiece so you don’t have to strain your muscles and joints by holding a phone to your ear. Use a stand to prop up materials when you read or type.
In the Car
Key turners, car door openers, and gas cap wrenches make it easier to use a car when you have arthritis. There are also more permanent fixes, like devices for holding on to the steering wheel. However, talk to an auto expert who specializes in disability adaptations before making changes that could affect the safety of your car.
In the Yard
When you're heading to the garden or working in the yard, look for tools with comfortable grips and handles. Replace old hoses with newer, lightweight ones, and consider a motorized hose reel. Use a gardening kneeler or seat that lets you work on the ground without stooping, or plant your flowers in a raised bed.
Get Advice
Sometimes a simple assistive device or a change in the way you do things can make daily tasks much easier when you have arthritis. Occupational therapists are trained to help you function at your best. Consulting an OT before purchasing new devices -- especially if they are expensive -- may help you sort the gimmicks from the lifesavers.
Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD on May 21, 2012
This tool does not provide medical advice. See additional information: 
© 2012 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.
Chronic Osteoarthritis Pain? Get a 30-Capsule Free Trial of Cymbalta
Important Safety Information About Cymbalta®
The most important information you should know about Cymbalta:
Antidepressants can increase suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children, teens, and young adults. Suicide is a known risk of depression and some other psychiatric disorders. Call your doctor right away or seek emergency help if you have new or worsening depression symptoms; unusual changes in behavior, such as agitation, irritability, impulsivity, or restlessness; or thoughts of suicide. Be especially observant within the first few months of treatment or after a change in dose. Approved only for adults 18 and over.
Cymbalta may be associated with serious side effects. Call your healthcare provider right away or seek emergency help if you experience any of the following:
- Itching, right upper-belly pain, dark urine, yellow skin/eyes, or unexplained flu-like symptoms, which may be signs of life-threatening liver problems. Severe liver problems, some fatal, have been reported
- High fever, confusion, stiff muscles, muscle twitching, or racing heart rate, which may be signs of serotonin syndrome, a potentially life-threatening condition
- Abnormal bleeding, especially if Cymbalta is taken with aspirin, NSAID pain relievers (like ibuprofen or naproxen), or blood thinners
- Serious, possibly life-threatening skin reactions, which may include skin blisters, peeling rash, mouth sores, hives, or other allergic reactions
- Abnormal mood (mania), which may include greatly increased energy, severe trouble sleeping, racing thoughts, talking more or faster than usual, and reckless behavior
- Seizures or convulsions
- Decreased blood pressure upon standing, which can cause dizziness or fainting, mostly when first starting or increasing the dose. Cymbalta can also increase blood pressure. Your healthcare provider should check your blood pressure prior to and while taking Cymbalta
- Headache, weakness or feeling unsteady, confusion, problems concentrating, or memory problems, which may be signs of low sodium levels in the blood. Elderly people may be at greater risk
- Problems with urination, including decreased flow or inability to pass any urine
- Changes in appetite or weight. Children and adolescents should have height and weight monitored
Do not stop Cymbalta or change your dose without talking to your healthcare provider, as you could have side effects.
Cymbalta is not for everyone. Do not take Cymbalta if you:
- Are taking or have recently taken a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI), including the antibiotic linezolid, or Mellaril® (thioridazine). Taking Cymbalta close in time to these medicines can cause serious or even life-threatening side effects
- Have uncontrolled narrow-angle glaucoma (eye pain due to increased eye pressure)
Before taking Cymbalta, talk with your healthcare provider:
- About all your medical conditions, including
- kidney or liver problems, heart problems, or high blood pressure
- glaucoma or diabetes (Cymbalta may worsen diabetes or a type of glaucoma)
- seizures/convulsions, mania, or if you have bipolar disorder
- if you have ever had or been told you have bleeding problems, low sodium levels in your blood, or delayed stomach emptying
- About all prescription and over-the-counter medicines and supplements you take or plan to take, including
- antibiotics or medicines for migraine, mood, or psychotic disorders, to avoid a potentially life-threatening condition when taken with Cymbalta
- aspirin, NSAID pain relievers, or blood thinners, because they may increase risk for bleeding
- About your alcohol use (you should not take Cymbalta if you drink heavily)
- If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during therapy or are breast-feeding
Most common side effects of Cymbalta (this is not a complete list):
Nausea, dry mouth, sleepiness, fatigue, constipation, decreased appetite, increased sweating, dizziness. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Other safety information about Cymbalta:
- Cymbalta may cause sleepiness and dizziness. Until you know how Cymbalta affects you, you shouldn't drive a car or operate hazardous machinery
- People age 65 and older who took Cymbalta reported more falls, some resulting in serious injuries
How to take Cymbalta
Take Cymbalta exactly as directed by your healthcare provider. Do not open, break, or chew capsule; swallow it whole. Cymbalta is available by prescription only.
See Prescribing Information, including Boxed Warning about antidepressants and risk of suicide, and Medication Guide.
DD CON ISI 02OCT2012
©Lilly USA, LLC 2012. All rights reserved.
Cymbalta is a registered trademark of Eli Lilly and Company.
DD80710 11/2012
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