Medication for Arthritis



The drugs used for treating most types of arthritis are drawn from many categories, but can be thought of in a few broad groups, such as anti-inflammatory drugs and disease-modifying drugs. More than one medication may be required for treating arthritis.

Anti-inflammatory agents generally work by slowing the body's production of prostaglandins, substances that play a role in inflammation. Many have an analgesic, or painkilling effect at low doses. Usually, higher, sustained doses are required to see sufficient anti-inflammatory activity for treating arthritis. The most familiar anti-inflammatory agent is aspirin, often a good arthritis treatment.

Like aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NS AIDs) fight pain and inflammation. More than a dozen NS AIDs are available, most by prescription only. Gastrointestinal side effects are common. Like aspirin, NS AIDS also deplete the iron reserves of the body. Take a multi vitamin pill with at least 18 mg of iron.

The most potent anti-inflammatory drugs are corticosteroids, synthetic versions of the hormone cortisone, like prednisone and dexamethasone. Usually reserved for short periods of use during intense flares or when other drugs don't control unrelenting disease. Relief can be dramatic, but long-term use causes side effects, such as weight gain, high blood pressure and thinning of bones and skin.

Usually steroids are given orally, but they can also be injected directly into a joint to reduce side effects. Corticosteroids harm the bones by blocking calcium absorption and interfere with vitamin Dlevels. Consider boosting your calcium intake with a separate calcium supplement.
Disease modifiers slow the disease process in autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or systemic lupus erythematosus. Patients taking these drugs are closely monitored.
It may take weeks or months to learn if a drug works. During that wait, it's important to keep taking other medications such as NSAIDs. A side effect of these drugs is the depletion of folate.
Gold salts have been used to treat rheumatoid arthritis for 60 years, although nobody knows why this treatment works. Penicillamine, methotrexate, and antimalarials such as hydroxychloroquine are also used. Doctors usually reserve other powerful drugs that suppress the immune system for extremely serious disease.

Note: Get off harmful drugs, sleeping pills, tranquilisers, narcotics, painkillers, if you have ben using them for a continued duration. These drugs can become a part of life, and in the long run only worsen your quality of life. It's not that these drugs don't work. They do, but for most people they are needed in ever increasing amounts and end up creating many more problems than they solve.

Tips on Joint Protection

Easing stress on joints is important to avoid further damage. Doctors, physical therapists and occupational therapists recommend canes, walkers or crutches for some people to help lighter the amount of body weight placed on certain joints. They may also help patients learn to use their joints in safer ways. For instance, the whole arm or the side of the body can be used to push a door open instead of the hand. Sliding heavy objects where possible will minimise stress on your weight bearing joints.

You can protect your joints by changing positions frequently to avoid stiffness, taking care to avoid joint positions that may be painful or may put excessive strain on the joints.


Splints may be used to keep joints from becoming permanently bent and stiff. Splints help rest joints, hold proper positions and keep muscles and ligaments around the joints limber. Using a forearm or auxiliary crutch on the opposite side will reduce by more than half the amount of weight borne by the affected j oint.
Don't bandage the joints too tightly as this will impair blood circulation.


The Importance of Rest


Too much activity can lead to increased pain and inflammation. Rest helps relieve those effects. On the other hand, too much rest may lead to stiffness and joints that move poorly. The right balance between rest and activity has to be found for each person, and that balance depends on how severe the symptoms are at any given time. More rest and less activity are needed during flares of pain and the opposite is true during periods of improvement.
The basic maxim for those suffering from RA is 'Don't race, pace!' You need to learn how to pace yourself and not try to do everything you can possibly do on the days when you are feeling good. All that it does is make you tired and sore the next day. Remind, yourself to slow down and listen to your disease.



Hot and Cold Treatments


Using heat (hot baths, hot packs, heat lamps etc.) can relax muscles and relieve pain and soreness. And cold (compresses, ice bags etc,) can help numb the affected area and reduce blood circulation to alleviate pain.
Use cold treatments for those times when a joint has been stressed from overuse. When joints become swollen hot ortender, heat is the best solution, cold would make them very painful.