How Do I Choose The Best Arthritis Medicine?
by: Stephanie E. Siegrist, MD
Are you spending a fortune on prescription arthritis medicines? Are they
helping? Are you concerned about side effects? You may think a particular drug
is a miraculous godsend. Yet, someone you know may take the same dose only to
experience little relief and life-threatening side effects. All of the choices
can be confusing.
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The best treatment for your arthritis is based on your needs. Making the
diagnosis of “osteoarthritis” is fairly straightforward, but deciding what to do
about it is a complex and very individualized matter. There’s a wide range of
options available to help you deal with OA; medicines are only part of the
picture:
- The Basics: Weight Management / Exercise / Education / Modify Activities
- Medications: Pain Relievers, NSAIDs (like ibuprofen), Supplements
- Injections/ Bracing
- Surgery
The highest dose of the latest, “greatest” arthritis medicine on the market will
NOT help unless you follow common-sense health practices. Focus on
low-tech/low-cost habits that pay off throughout your body and quality of life.
Modify the combination of remedies over your lifetime as symptoms wax and wane.
Start simple, and then move to the next step if the first isn’t helping. You can
cut back during the times you have less pain.
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| At this point, available medicines can relieve the symptoms of osteoarthritis,
not cure it. There are some treatments for rheumatoid arthritis that can slow
down joint destruction. Scientific research suggests that nutritional
supplements, like glucosamine, might strengthen cartilage tissue. Stay tuned!
The dozens of arthritis medications available are categorized by drug class. The
drug classes differ in the way your body handles the chemical that makes up the
drug, known as the mechanism of action. Different mechanisms of action target
different arthritis symptoms: pain vs. stiffness vs. inflammation. If you
understand the classes, you will understand:
- how each drug works,
- which drugs are related because they work in a similar way,
- what side effects can occur, and
- why a drug may or may not be right for you.
Fortunately, there are eight drug classes to choose from to relieve your
osteoarthritis symptoms. If you must avoid a whole class because you have
another health condition, there are plenty of others that could keep you
comfortable. Combining smaller doses from different classes may be the right
answer. Usually only with prudent, thoughtful trials will you and your doctor
discover what’s best for you. Keep a diary of the remedies you try, and their
effects, good and bad. You spend a lot of money trying to feel better - don’t
waste it!
Beware of your drugs’ true cost! “Cost” applies not only to the money you pay
for the pills, but also to the toll they could take on your system in terms of
side effects like stomach ulcers, kidney failure, addiction, and other problems
worth avoiding!
OA is a chronic, degenerative condition that progresses at different rates in
different patients (and even in different joints in the same body!) You’ve got
better things to do than let OA rule your day. The right treatment strategy will
get you back to the Pursuit of Happiness!
Want to learn more about all EIGHT classes of OA drugs? Visit
www.knowyourbones.com to order “Making Sense of Arthritis Medicine: Manage Your
Symptoms Safely” and discover relief that’s right for you!
About The Author:
Stephanie E. Siegrist, MD is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon in her 10th
year of practice, and author of "Making Sense of Arthritis Medicine." She's one
of only 3% of U.S. orthopedic surgeons who are women! Dr. Siegrist strives to
bridge the gaps that exist in today's doctor-patient relationship with
"Information Therapy!" Complete information about Dr. Siegrist, and the book,
are available from her website.
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