Arthritis Pain Medications

Arthritis is an illness that causes pain, stiffness and swelling in the joints of the body. There are more than 100 different types of arthritis affecting one or more joints of the body, though it can affect the muscles and other organs too.

Whatever the cause or the target organ, pain is the most common feature of arthritis. Pain is the primary symptom of many illnesses and pain relief is a basic and essential part of treatment. Joint pain relief in arthritis has a substantial impact on the daily activities of the patient and improves the overall quality of life of an individual.

Arthritis pain can be acute or chronic, and most forms of arthritis attain a chronic form in the course of the disease. Pain affects the overall health, limits body movement and can be very distressing. Pain relief becomes an important concern for the patient rather than the disease control.

Pain management helps increasing joint mobility and strength by reducing discomfort in the joints. It plays an important role in breaking the vicious cycle of pain, stress and depression. All forms of pain must be treated under strict medical supervision. The pain killers broadly prescribed for chronic pain relief are plain analgesics or NSAID's ( Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). In severe cases steroids are administered under specialty physician care which provide temporary relief from arthritis symptoms.

Analgesics help in pain relief, but it should be remembered that they do not control the disease. Painkillers as per their types provide pain relief, reduce fever or reduce inflammation. So the selection of an ideal pain killer varies from person to person and depends upon the degree of joint inflammation. In absence of swelling and only pain as a presenting symptom, an analgesic like tramadol or paracetamol can be safely used. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for example; ibuprofen, diclofenac, naproxen, indomethacin which come under different brand names worldwide relieve pain by reducing inflammation. COX-2 inhibitors can be prescribed for individuals with arthritis and are less likely to have the gastrointestinal side effects sometimes produced by NSAIDs.

Analgesics have some common side effects like hyperacidity, abdominal pain, stomach ulcers and bleeding tendencies. In some cases there can be swelling in the feet, hypertension, allergic rashes and many more. Patients should be educated and proper counseling provided about the use of medicines in order to attain a proper balance between the effects and side-effects of medicine. Symptomatic relief is important but exact diagnosis and treating the disease is more important. An additional treatment comprising of related medicines, nutritional supplements and lifestyle changes are advisable for an overall arthritis control and health of an individual.