One in six Shropshire arthritis sufferers avoid painkillers for fear of side effects or addiction

For half of the estimated 10 million Brits who have the debilitating condition, arthritis has a negative impact on life every single day.

A survey of more than 1,000 arthritis sufferers from the UK found that they no longer feel they can do things they used to, with 59 per cent saying they exercise less, 46 per cent saying it affects their sleep and 23 per cent saying they socialise less.

About half in Shropshire and the West Midlands said it has a negative impact on their relationships.

According to the research by health supplements company FutureYou Cambridge, 16 per cent of arthritis sufferers across the region are avoiding painkillers due to fear of side effects or addiction, and over half say they try to avoid taking over-the-counter pain relief.

More than half are open to trying food supplements or herbal remedies as an alternative, but six in 10 haven’t considered using turmeric to manage their pain. Experts say there has been significant research demonstrating evidence of its anti-inflammatory properties.

Turmeric is a plant that has been used for centuries in cooking and traditional medicine and is known to contain a powerful active ingredient, curcumin, which has many anti-inflammatory properties.

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.

Struggling

It has created a patented supplement called Turmeric+, that is more absorbable than standard turmeric, which has been hailed by an arthritis sufferer from Telford.

Marta Bennett said: “I am a very fit and healthy 56-year-old woman but unfortunately suffer from arthritis in my joints.

"I was struggling to keep hold of weights in my gym sessions or even open a jar.

"Any gardening work or even chopping vegetables had become too painful.

"I was amazed to see that after taking just one tablet I woke up to almost no pain in my hand.

"In addition, I noticed that I had a surge of energy throughout the day and nothing seemed to tire me out."

Commenting on the research, Adam Cleevely, chief executive officer from FutureYou, said: “The pain of arthritis is an everyday reality for 10 million people, and it’s shocking that so many haven’t found an effective way to manage their condition.

"It’s sad and unacceptable that so many people have been forced to accept this way of life because they’ve either failed to find a prescription or over-the-counter option that works for them, or they’re simply not aware of or don’t have access to an effective non-medicinal alternative.

"With more people wanting to avoid pain killers it’s important that they are aware that there are other choices available to them.”