Osteoarthritis (what you should know)

Exercise: Exercise can improve mood and outlook, decrease pain, increase flexibility, strengthen the heart and improve blood flow, maintain weight, and promote general physical fitness. Walking, swimming, and water aerobics are a few popular types of exercise for people with osteoarthritis. The common saying, if it hurts, something is wrong.

Weight control: Osteoarthritis patients who are overweight or obese should try to lose weight. Weight loss can reduce stress on weight-bearing joints, limit further injury, and increase mobility.

Heat and cold: Heat or cold (or a combination of the two) can be useful for joint pain.

Massage: In this pain-relief approach, a massage therapist will lightly stroke and/or knead the painful muscles. This may increase blood flow and bring warmth to a stressed area. However, arthritis-stressed joints are sensitive, so the therapist must be familiar with the problems of the disease.

Complementary and alternative therapies: Some people have found pain relief using acupuncture, a practice in which fine needles are inserted by a licensed acupuncture therapist at specific points on the skin.

Nutritional supplements: such as glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate have been reported to improve the symptoms of people with osteoarthritis, as have certain vitamins. There are several brands in the market. At best, these supplements help maintain the joint health.

Traditional Medications: Traditional medications have varying effects on osteoarthritis. Sometimes, steroids are added in traditional medications. While these medications are extremely effective in pain relief, they carry significant complications including weight gain and bone damage and this should be avoided at all cost.

Medications to control pain

Paracetamol: A medication commonly used to relieve pain, acetaminophen, is available without a prescription. It is often the first medication doctors recommend for osteoarthritis patients because of its safety relative to some other drugs and its effectiveness against pain.

NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs): Aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen are examples of NSAIDs. They are often the first type of medication used. Some NSAIDs are available over the counter, while more than a dozen others, including a subclass called COX-2 inhibitors, are available only with a prescription.

Narcotic or central acting agents: Tramadol is a prescription pain reliever and synthetic opioid that is sometimes prescribed when over-the-counter medications don’t provide sufficient relief. It works through the central nervous system to achieve its effects.

Injections: Corticosteroids are powerful anti-inflammatory hormones made naturally in the body or man made for use as medicine. They may be injected into the affected joints to temporarily relieve pain.

Viscosupplements: hyaluronic acid substitutes are designed to replace a normal component of the joint involved in joint lubrication and nutrition. Depending on the particular product your doctor prescribes, it will be given in a series of three to five injections.