For those suffering from osteoarthritis, arthritis medicines are an essential part of getting through the day.
Osteoarthritis, or arthritis as most people refer to it as is joint cartilage degeneration. It normally appears when a person reaches their 40's or 50's and can be the result of a previous injury.
For example, if a person injured their knee when they were 20, they are more likely to develop arthritis in the injured knee as they approach middle age. It is also genetic, so if you have family members that have it, you are more likely to develop problems. Symptoms normally include stiffness, pain, and swelling.
Treatment options include an array of arthritis medicines including:
- Pain medication that is often prescribed such as hyrocodone, which is a narcotic
- Over the counter anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen, naproxine, aspirin
- Prescription anti-inflammatories are also prescribed when over the counter does not seem to help
- Corticosteroids are injections of steroids given in the affected joint to bring down the swelling, which often is the root of the pain
The unfortunate truth is all of these medications can have some serious side effects. For instance, anti-inflammatory medications when taken daily can cause bleeding in the stomach, while steroid injections can raise the blood sugar level.
If the affected joint is damaged enough by the arthritis, such as a hip or knee joint, surgeons can replace these joints, which normally resolves the pain shortly after recovering from the surgery itself. Those that have mild to medium amount of joint damage are not candidates for joint replacement surgery, which means the vast majority of those who suffer from arthritis have daily pain, stiffness, and swelling.
The most common joints affected are the hips and knees though arthritis can be in the hands, ankles, and spine as well. Obviously, a surgeon cannot replace the spine, so this becomes a chronic condition for those unfortunate enough to have the disease. The Center for Disease Control reported that as many as 27 million Americans alone suffer from osteoarthritis compared to 1.3 million Americans that suffered from rheumatoid arthritis, which is an inflammatory arthritis that can be crippling.
Alternative Treatments
Many people turn to alternative treatments for their osteoarthritis simply because of the side effects they may have experienced with traditional medications. When treating the condition naturally or with herbs, this naturally reduces the inflammation and helps lubricate the joints. These include:
- Tart cherries. It has been discovered that taking tart cherries in the extract form has anti-inflammatory properties
- Ginger extract. Taking ginger extract is a powerful anti-inflammatory that can help reduce the swelling, which in turn reduces the pain
- Boswellia. This herb is very powerful and in fact has been used for years in treating inflammation quite effectively
- Hyaluronic Acid. Taking this orally and applying it topically can help lubricate the joints
- Omega 3 fatty acids. This are another wonderful anti-inflammatory and also good for the heart
- Glucosamine. This is what many people have heard of as being great for slowing down the process of the disease
Final Thoughts
Arthritis impacts many people and while prescription drugs can be useful for short-term treatment, they can cause some side effects that many people cannot tolerate. Many turn to natural treatment options because there have less side effects and taking them daily does help with symptoms such as inflammation. Additionally, keeping the joints moving via some form of exercise greatly increases mobility.
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