Osteoarthritis and acute pain treatment with Celecoxib

Celecoxib is a certain nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug or NSAID and it functions by making the hormones that are the cause of inflammation and pain smaller. Due to this fact, this NSAID is used for when a person is suffering from a lot of conditions that cause inflammation and pain like arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and menstrual pain. Apart from these conditions, the drug can also be used to treat the hereditary polyps in the colon. In addition to this, there are certain other ways in which the drug can be used, that are not mentioned.

Celecoxib for osteoarthritis

This drug is a sulfa non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug used for various conditions that cause pain and inflammation. A person can find it in the drug store under the names of Celebrex and Celebra. These two are supposed to treat arthritis. The drug can also be found under the name of Onsenal and its function is to treat the polyps. The doctor can prescribe this drug in the form of a capsule.

Nowadays, the drug is used for the treatment of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, acute pain and various other conditions but at the time when it came out it was supposed to be used for the relieving the pain and other side effects that occur due to use of certain drugs used to treat gastrointestinal problems. The doctors do not prescribe this drug if the patient is experiencing acute pain as it will not be effective. This drug is meant for those who suffer from regular and long term pain. However, it can be used in situations when Aspirin or some non-selective non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug causes certain reactions like hives or urticaria. The benefits of celecoxib are almost the same as those provided by paracetamol.

Even though celecoxib provides a lot of benefits, there are certain side effects that the patients need to pay attention to.

Side effects of celecoxib

The taking of celecoxib can lead to some serious side effects, some of which can even be fatal. Probably the most dangerous side effects are heart or circulation problems like heart attack or stroke. These side effects are a lot more likely to be seen in those who take this drug for a long period of time. A patient who has had a bypass surgery recently or is supposed to have one in the near future should definitely avoid using this drug.

If the patient experiences any sort of side effects after taking celecoxib like chest pain, weakness, shortness of breath, slurred speech or any kind of problem that affects his or her vision or balance, he or she should seek immediate medical help. Apart from these side effect, some more serious can occur after the taking of the drug as well. The patient may experience bleeding or perforation in the intestines and stomach. The bad thing about these side effects is that they appear without any warning. However, they are most likely to be seen in those patients who are quite old. The doctor must be called the same moment the patient experiences the symptoms of stomach bleeding. These symptoms are black, bloody or pitchy stools. Coughing up blood is another symptom. A person may even vomit something that looks almost exactly the same as coffee grounds.

The consumption of alcohol during the time a person is taking this drug need to be avoided. The main reason why that is so, is because alcohol can only make the side effects worse and increases the chance of suffering from stomach bleeding. A lot of other drugs used for the treatment of colds and allergies that are similar to celecoxib can lead to these side effects as well and that is why it is important to talk to the doctor before using any. A person who is allergic to celecoxib should definitely avoid using this drug and find some other that will treat the problems of pain and inflammation. Apart from those allergic to this drug, others who have a medical history of allergic reaction to Aspirin, sulfa drugs or any other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug should avoid taking celecoxib.

When going to the hospital complaining of pain and inflammation due to some condition, the patient needs to tell the doctor if he or she has a history of heart attack, stroke, blood clot or some similar condition. Mentioning that the patient had a heart disease, congestive heart failure, high blood pressure, problems with stomach ulcers or bleeding, some kind of liver or kidney disease, some kind of a seizure disorder like epilepsy for instance, polyps in the nose or a bleeding or blood clotting disorder is essential as the drug should not be taken in that case. Even the problem of asthma should be mentioned when the patient arrives at the hospital.

Pregnant women should not take this drug during the period of three months before the baby is supposed to be born as the experts believe the baby can be harmed.