Pain management in arthritis treatment

Arthritis Treatment

Pain, swelling in various joints of the body and joint stiffnessare common characteristics of arthritis. This disease can affect one or severaljoints in the body, and in some cases even muscles or other organs. Patients usuallysuffer from the pain, and this symptom, either acute or chronic, have to betaken care of. With proper management of arthritis patients are able to performdifferent activities every day.

Many people associate pain with stress, and they are right,because these two come together. Depression is also very common among peoplesuffering from chronic pain, and for that reason reducing the pain improves thesepatients’ quality of life.

Early diagnosis is crucial for every patient suffering fromarthritis. The next stage is proper management of the disease, and doctors mustcontrol the pain a patient is feeling and manage all other symptoms as well. Additionaltasks are to improve the ability to perform everyday activities and slowfurther progression of the disease. Treatment plans usually include medications,physical and occupational therapies and self-management techniques. Extremely painfulconditions, limited movement or serious damage to the joints may be resolvedusing surgical procedures.

Drugs Used in Arthritis Patients

Doctors have many drugs available to treat symptoms of arthritis.For the pain, there are different pain killers, then medications known as disease-modifyinganti-rheumatic drugs or DMARDs, substitutes of hyaluronic acid andviscosupplements. It is not easy to select the pain killer which is ideal,because ideal depend on the degree of inflammation and pain and it also variesamong individuals.

As said before, reliving the pain might be the most importantpart of the arthritis treatment, and these therapies must be overseen by themedical specialist. People suffering from this condition might use plainanalgesics (drugs that relieve the pain), usually known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatorydrugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, Indomethacin, diclofenac, naproxen andothers. Drugs called COX-2 inhibitors may be suitable for someone who’s having gastrointestinalproblems while using NSAIDs to control the pain.

Paracetamol or tramadol can be used in arthritis patientswho don’t experience any swelling, but only pain in the joints.

Corticosteroid injections are another option, but they arerecommended only to people experiencing severe arthritis pains.

Generally speaking analgesics can’t control the disease andthey are used to resolve present pain. Some of them are also able to reduceinflammation in the joints or work against fever and pains in the body.