Painful Joints Reviews

Medicinal treatment for pain relief in osteoarthritis

When you feel any abnormalities in the body, you go to your physician. After the diagnosis of the disease, the physician prescribes you some medicines to cure. Medicine is the essential part of the primary treatment of any disease. It reduces the signs and symptoms of the disease. Many medicines are available for the treatment of osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis is an irreversible disease. It can’t be cured completely. The treatment is given to get relief from the pain and inflammation. Every osteoarthritis patient has his own personal and medical history. Though the medications show some side-effects, they are effective to give the quick relief from the pain.

Acetaminophen containing drugs such as anacin-3, Valadol, Tylenol, Panadal are the first choice in treating the osteoarthritis. They reduce moderate to severe pain. But it has some gastrointestinal side-effects. Tylenol is well-tolerated with long-term use. When Tylenol alone is not sufficient, it is given in combination with Codeine. It helps to reduce the pain. The precaution should be taken that alcohol should be strictly avoided during the treatment.

There are some medicines to relax the muscles in spasm. There are some pain-relieving creams such as Arthricare, Zostrix containing capsaicin, Aspercreme containing salycin, Bengay, Icy Hot containing methyl salicylate and Flexall containing menthol. They give temporary relief from the pain.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are useful in reducing pain as well as inflammation in the joints. Some of the NSAIDs are Ecotrin containing aspirin, Motrin containing ibuprofen, Naprosyn containing naproxen and Relafen containing nabumetone. But these drugs have some side-effects causing gastrointestinal distress like ulcer, stomach upset and diarrhea.

COX-2 inhibitors like valdecoxib and celecoxib are effective in the treatment of osteoarthritis with the side-effects on the stomach. They are effective pain-relievers. Opioid pain killers like codeine or hydrocodone are prescribed by the doctor for the people who can’t take the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

In serious cases of spinal osteoarthritis, the mobility is severely restricted. In such cases, the corticosteroids are injected into the facet joints to give quick relief. In case of knee osteoarthritis, hyaluronic acid is injected in the knee joint.

The medicinal treatment is preferred for the primary treatment of osteoarthritis than to proceed for the surgery.

Related Posts:

• Osteoarthritis in hand
• Osteoarthritis signs and symptoms
• Osteoarthritis in the wrist and arms

Osteoarthritis in hand

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease that results in pain and inflammation of the joints. Breakdown and loss of the cushioning cartilage covering bone surfaces at the joints is the reason of osteoarthritis. Many body parts are affected due to osteoarthritis such as knee, hip, spine, feet, hand and wrist.

The osteoarthritis in hand develops in three sites-at the base of the thumb where it is attached to the wrist (the trapezio-metacarpal joint), at the distal interphalangeal joint near the finger tip and at the middle proximal interphalangeal joint of the finger.

In osteoarthritis, the cartilage is lost. The body tries to make up for the lost cartilage by producing the fluid in the synovium. It acts like a cushion. But it leads to swelling of the joints which results in stretching of the joint capsule. It causes pain, stiffness and restricted motion. In untreated cases, the joints lose their normal shapes.

Early symptoms of the hand osteoarthritis include dull pain or burning sensation. The pain occurs when the use of joints is increased such as grasping or heavy gripping. The pain and stiffness in the morning is very common. When there is a total loss of cartilage and shock absorption is reduced, the symptoms are increased even with less use. The bones rub on each other. The bony nodules develop at the middle and end joints of the finger.

The physical examination and symptoms of the osteoarthritis give some idea about the disease. The x-ray report gives an idea about the formation of bony outgrowth, development of hard areas of bone along the joint margin and narrowing of the joint space.

If left untreated, osteoarthritis of hand can affect the daily activities. The normal shape of the joint is lost. Hence, quick treatment is very necessary. The treatment is meant for reducing pain, swelling and preventing the progression of the disease. The treatment is in four ways such as medications, injections, splinting and surgery.

The medications include the pain-killers and anti-inflammatory drugs. When the medications don’t work, the injections are beneficial. They are long-acting anesthetic and long-lasting steroids. But they have certain side-effects like weakening of the tendons, infection and lightening of the skin.

The injections are generally combined with the splinting of the damaged joint. The splints give the support to the affected joint. The surgery is recommended in the patients with too much pain and too much restricted mobility. The surgeries include the joint fusion, joint reconstruction and total joint replacement.

Related Posts:

• Arthritis Free For Life – Get rid of your arthritis with a natural treatment for gout, rheumatoid arthritis & joint pain
• Sarcoidosis Remission Home Page
• The End Of Arthritis
• - Arthritis Pain Relief
• Neck, Back, Shoulder Pain relief

Osteoarthritis signs and symptoms

The degenerative disease of the joints is called as osteoarthritis. It is the most common type of arthritis. It is characterized by the breakdown and loss of a protein substance, cartilage present in the bone joints. It affects different body parts like hips, knee, spine, hand, wrist and feet. The osteoarthritis results in pain, inflammation and stiffness of the joints.

The development of the disease is slow. In early stage, there are no symptoms or the symptoms are mild. There is pain in the joint after use or after inactivity. Discomfort in the joints due to change in weather is very common. There is stiffness and swelling in the joint. Some people experience the contraction in the tendons and muscle spasm. The patient complains the stiffness in the morning. The flexibility of the joints is lost. Another important sign of osteoarthritis is the grinding or cracking noise within the joint. The bony spurs are developed at the bony ends.

In hip osteoarthritis, there is pain in the inner thigh, groin or buttock. The patient feels abnormality in walking. The person faces the difficulty in daily work like getting into the car or putting on the shoes.

The knee osteoarthritis features the catching or grating sensation while moving the knee. The patient faces difficulty to walk up and down stairs. It becomes difficult to get up from the chair. The person feels weakness in the thighs. The mobility of the joint is restricted. There is a crunching feel in the knee. There is swelling in the knee. There is the growth of extra bone which is visible in the form of enlargement of the joint.

The patient suffers from swelling, redness and tenderness in the finger joints. The finger joints are enlarged due to the bony growth. They create a gnarled appearance. These nodes affect the mobility of the joints. It is more common in women than men.

In the osteoarthritis of spine, there is slow deterioration of disks between the bones along the spine. It leads to pain and stiffness in neck and back. The weight-bearing joints like feet, knees and hips are more susceptible to osteoarthritis. It causes severe pain and difficulty in standing and walking.

Generally, osteoarthritis is stable for several years. Its progress is slow after the symptoms are developed. Many people may develop the disability upto some extent.

Related Posts:

• Arthritis Free For Life – Get rid of your arthritis with a natural treatment for gout, rheumatoid arthritis & joint pain
• The End Of Arthritis
• - Arthritis Pain Relief
• Neck, Back, Shoulder Pain relief
• magnetic therapy free book

Osteoarthritis in the wrist and arms

Degenerative osteoarthritis is one of the most common disorders found in the old age. It is characterized by the breakdown and loss of cartilage present in the joints. Many joints that are frequently used are affected by this disorder. Wrist and arms are also susceptible to the osteoarthritis.

The hand and wrist have small multiple joints. They work together and produce motion. When these joints are affected by osteoarthritis, the daily activities become difficult. There is a degeneration of cartilage which acts as a shock-absorber. It provides a smooth slippery surface for the joints. When the cartilage is lost, the body tries to make-up for the lost cartilage by producing the fluid in the joint lining. It leads to swelling and restricted mobility of the joint.

It is generally related to aging. It affects the men and women above the age of 40. Injury, especially fractures, is one of the reasons of arthritis. Due to trauma, the cartilage gets damaged. The injured joint is more susceptible to osteoarthritis.

Joint pain after the physical activity is the most common symptom. The patient complains pain and stiffness in the morning. After total loss of the cartilage, the symptoms are seen even after less use of the joints. In advanced condition, the pain becomes so severe that the patient can’t sleep peacefully.

When the damaged joint is subjected to excessive stress, it gets swollen. Many patients complain the increased joint pain during the rainy weather. Simple activities like starting a car or opening a jar becomes difficult for the person. The affected joint is warm in touch due to body’s inflammatory response. There is a sensation of grinding or grating in the joints due to rubbing of the bones on each other.

The symptoms and physical examination by the doctor my help for the diagnosis of the osteoarthritis upto some extent. The clinical appearance of the hand and wrist also helps in diagnosis. The x-ray report of hand and wrist is the most useful guide for the diagnosis. It shows certain characteristics like development of dense areas of the bone along the joint margins, formation of bony spurs and narrowing of the joints.

The treatment is given to get relief from the pain and to restore the normal function. Anti-inflammatory drugs and analgesic medication are beneficial for the treatment. Finger or wrist splints are also advised for selective activities. In more serious cases, the surgery is recommended.

Related Posts:

• Arthritis Free For Life – Get rid of your arthritis with a natural treatment for gout, rheumatoid arthritis & joint pain
• The End Of Arthritis
• - Arthritis Pain Relief
• Pure Activity – Eat Better : Exercise Better : Feel Better
• Back Pain Cure Through Home Made Remedies/Neck Pain And Shoulder Pain Cure/health,treatment,medicine information

Osteoarthritis cure

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disorder of the joints caused by the breakdown of cartilage. It makes the daily activities difficult and leaves long term effects on the body. Hence, early treatment is very necessary. The disease is irreversible. It can’t be cured completely. But it can be treated to reduce the pain and stiffness in the joints. It helps to improve the mobility of the joints.

There are various treatment options for osteoarthritis. Weight loss and exercise are recommended as a primary treatment before staring the medications as they have many side-effects. If weight loss and exercise don’t work, then the medications are given. If it fails, then surgery is referred in serious cases.

Any treatment is effective if you are actively involved and keep the record of your body’s response to the treatment. This information is very important for your physician. It guides him to make any change in the treatment program. To keep the track of all this information, make a journal to note down the progress and unusual changes.

Obesity is the major risk factor for the osteoarthritis. It causes excessive stress on the joints which leads to degeneration of cartilage. Losing weight helps to relieve the pressure on the joints and reduces the symptoms. The best way to control the weight is an intake of healthy diet and appropriate exercise. Your diet should include high fibrous food like vegetables, fruits, legumes and whole grains.

Regular exercise is very effective to get relief from pain and stiffness in osteoarthritis. It decreases the progress of the disease. It strengthens the muscles that support the joints. It prevents the joints from damage. Exercise improves the flexibility of the joints.

In the routine life, you can prefer walking instead of going by car; climb the stairs instead of using the lift. There are three types of exercises such as the stretching exercises, strengthening exercises and fitness exercises. Swimming is the best exercise in water to reduce the stress on the joints. Walking is good for reducing pain and stiffness in the joints.

Application of heat and cold is proved to be beneficial to get relief from the pain and swelling. Heat is used to relax the muscles. Cold is applied to the sore joints to reduce the pain.

Some analgesics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used to get quick relief from the pain and swelling. Corticosteroids are also helpful to decrease pain and inflammation. In serious cases with uncontrolled pain and disability of the joints, the surgery is recommended.

Related Posts:

• Arthritis Free For Life – Get rid of your arthritis with a natural treatment for gout, rheumatoid arthritis & joint pain
• Pure Activity – Eat Better : Exercise Better : Feel Better
• The End Of Arthritis
• - Arthritis Pain Relief
• Pilates Ebook -Pilates Relief for Back and Joint Pain