Start by letting each other know that you love each other and want to continue sharing a passionate sex life. Sexual desire also does not disappear with age. I happen to know a rather randy seventy year old woman who complains from time to time about the lack of sex in her life, and her partner is ten years younger.

I think she's quite normal.

The old tale that an orgasm will release natural painkillers is true. It is the natural endorphins, the same thing that causes the "runners high",  that surges through the body after an orgasm. This can alleviate or at least lessen your discomforts for anywhere form 45 minutes to 3 hours.

We each have different physical needs. Those needs vary throughout our lives depending on many factors. One factor definitely is complicated by arthritis in one of the partners. One major pitfalls is that unaffected  partner is afraid that sex will create more pain. What a catch-22! 

Stiffness, joint pain, fatigue, and lack of mobility are symptoms of arthritis that adversely affect sexual enjoyment. A properly adjusted love swing can assist with these difficulties. You should do some planning before hand. Taking a hot bath is known to loosen the stiffness, so why not take a hot shower together? Doctors say taking an anti-inflammatory medicine an hour before can also help. Resting in the afternoon helps the fatigue. The early morning is not the best time for a person with arthritis to engage in any physical activity, so plan for the evening or whatever part of the day when you feel at your best.

Having sex in a bed it is probably not the best option either. This is usually due to the weight of the man and the stress on the joints of either partner. If the man has arthritis and is on top, he may put too much pressure on the joints of his hips, knees and arms. If she is the one with the difficulty, this can cause pain in her pelvic, hip and knees joints as well as in her back. Try using a sex swing instead of the traditional missionary position in a bed. "I now can get comfortable and it feels like I'm floating" says one RA sufferer.

As far as the mechanical aspects of having intercourse goes, communication becomes of utmost importance. The good news is that arthritis does not generally affect the areas of the body (especially the brain) that allow you to enjoy sensual stimulation. In fact, a survey of people with arthritis stated that those who had orgasms felt some pain relief for up to six hours afterwards. Once you become involved in the act, you usually forget your pain. Comfort is paramount for good sex at any time. The adjustments designed into the Passion Swing will place both partners into the most comfortable positions possible.

Frequently, if you have arthritis, you may experience a phenomenon in which there is a diminished flow of blood to the extremities causing them to feel cold. During sexual activity you need to be in a warm room, and if necessary, wear a pair of warm socks. Go ahead, make a joke! Maybe even adding
the Passion Blanket to keep you both warm, toasty and private.

Satisfaction can be achieved in many ways. Arthritis can make intercourse difficult. Stimulating your partner manually, orally or with a vibrator or sex toy can be another answer. On the other hand, despite your feelings of affection, there may be times when either you or your partner simply doesn't feel very passionate. Then you or your partner can certainly stimulate the other person in other ways and satisfy their needs. This type of stimulation is a healthy way of achieving the same goal. 

 Some find that having the woman in a standing position, like leaning on the swing, and having her partner behind her is pleasant and less stressful, especially when hip joints are involved. Just using the Passion swing can help you both find many new positions that do not aggravate any problems.

For people with any muscular fatigue type of difficulties, we highly recommend installing their love swing at the edge of their bed or a couch. This way if they get tired or have any difficulty they may be able to simply sit down and shift to a different method of pleasing each other.

Having someone you love develop a chronic pain will need all the affection and understanding you can muster to maintain a normal life. The person with arthritis will need to let their mate know their feelings about sexual activity. If your mate has arthritis, You must be more sensitive, accommodating, plain old-fashioned affectionate, creative and sensual.

The Passion Swing with it's infinite adjustments and comfortable support seems to be a solution for many people with arthritis. It can certainly help these couples to  achieve or continue to have mutually satisfying intimate relations for many many years. 

After getting the proper swing height set, the man needs only to stand between her comfortably supported legs. The only movement necessary for both partners to get to and stay in a passionate state is a LIGHT rocking motion from side to side and front to back. It requires much less strenuous movements than those required on a dance floor.

Once you start, you both can move your head, neck and pelvis more freely with less effort than you may have been used to for awhile. The love swing will remove the weight issue and much of the normal need for aggressive movements.

The woman is comfortable and "feels like she is floating". The man will learn to stay UP and in a heightened state with a fraction of the effort he ever used before. He may not need any Viagra like drugs either. She may want to try a topical herbal female stimulant/lubricant. Ask your doctor before using any type of stimulant.

The Arthritis Foundation published a pamphlet entitled
"A Guide to Intimacy with Arthritis"

Some content adapted form "The Arthritis Source Book"