Arthritis Treatments

If you are suffering from arthritis pain, there are many arthritis treatments available to you. Whether your doctor recommends prescription medication or over-the-counter pain relievers, a variety of treatments exist to make your life easier. Homeopathic medicines, or “home remedies”, can give temporary relief for persistent symptoms, but are generally not recommended as a sole method of treating your arthritis.

Arthritis treatments are usually classified into five different types. Analgesics are simply pain-killers, treating the most debilitating symptom of arthritis. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, address pain as well as inflammation of the joints. Corticosteroids are used to address inflammation directly, sometimes with dramatic results. Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs are used to alter the immune system, providing a number of indirect benefits to arthritis sufferers. The newest form of treatment comes in the form of new biologic drugs called TNF-alpha blockers, developed by pharmaceutical companies specifically to combat the symptoms and progress of arthritis. We’ll look at each of these types of medications in depth, as well as a few of the most popular home remedies for arthritis.

Nearly everyone is familiar with over-the-counter analgesics. They are the first line of treatment for arthritis pain, and include familiar products such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen. Both non-narcotic and narcotic analgesics are used in treatment of arthritis pain, depending on the severity. Analgesics work by interrupting the transmission of pain signals to the brain, essentially “blocking” pain from being transmitted by your nerves to your brain. Most non-narcotic analgesics are available without prescription. If your pain is more severe, your physician may prescribe narcotic analgesics. These include prescription drugs including codeine, oxycodone, and oxycontin, either alone or combined with a non-prescription analgesic to increase their effectiveness. Some recent analgesics have been released in patch form to allow more convenient delivery of pain relief.

NSAIDs include some of the most recognizable prescription arthritis drugs. Their combination of analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and fever-reducing properties make them a good choice for many chronic arthritis patients. Aspirin is often miscategorized as only an analgesic; in fact, both aspirin and ibuprofen belong to both the analgesic and NSAID category due to their anti-inflammatory properties. NSAIDs are usually classed as either salicylates (aspirin falls into this category), traditional NSAIDs, and cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors. Cyclooxygenase occurs naturally in the human body in two forms. COX-1 is instrumental in maintaining health, while COX-2 causes inflammation in arthritis sufferers. Selective COX-2 inhibitors are among the newest prescription treatments for arthritis.

First tested as a treatment for arthritis in 1948, corticosteroids were once among the most common arthritis treatments. Given orally or injected directly into the joints, they can give near-instant relief to both inflammation and joint pain. Corticosteroids affect the immune system directly by suppressing allergic responses, preventing inflammation. But this suppression of the immune system can cause serious side effects, including increased likelihood of infection. As a result, their use has lessened in recent years.

Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, or DMARDs, are powerful medications. They are usually used after other treatments have failed to control arthritis symptoms. It is not clearly understood how DMARDs work, but the general consensus is that they alter the immune system indirectly, allowing patients to experience relief from inflammation and pain. The most commonly used DMARD, gold, was first discovered over fifty years ago by Jacques Forrestier, who was seeking a cure for tuberculosis. He observed that injections of gold salts helped ease the arthritis symptoms of his patients, and gold has been used for arthritis treatment ever since.

TNF-alpha blockers are used in immunotherapy. As arthritis treatments, they stimulate the body’s natural immune system, allowing it to better fight off disease and infection. Often touted as a panacea, TNF-alpha blockers do have near-miraculous effects on many arthritis patients, eliminating pain and inflammation. While they cannot reverse existing damage, they can often produce long remissions without pain or symptoms. However, as with any biologic medicine, there are serious side effects. Your physician can tell you if TNF-alpha blockers are the right choice for you.

Traditional arthritis treatments are best in most cases. Your physician can outline a treatment program that will control pain and inflammation and provide the most beneficial results. If you are interested in alternative therapies, please consult your physician first to ensure they will not interfere with your existing treatment plan.

Some patients report good results from acupuncture, acupressure, or massage treatments. First practiced in China over 2000 years ago, these treatments may give some short-term relief; however, they do not address the root causes of arthritis pain, including inflammation and swelling. Additionally, your insurance may not pay for these treatments, which can be quite expensive. Hypnotherapy can also give short-term relief for some arthritis sufferers. Various diets have been recommended as arthritis treatments, but there is no solid evidence that these have any effect on arthritis pain or symptoms.

Your best source of information for arthritis treatments is your physician. Your doctor is informed on the latest treatments and medications, and can design an arthritis treatment plan that is best for your particular case.