It starts with a subtle twinge in the knee or perhaps a little stiffness in the fingers in the morning when you wake up..
Sometimes it is a constant excruciating pain that can disable or cripple for life.. What am I talking about? Arthritis.
1 out of 7 Americans today have some form of arthritis.
Note what a doctor had to say "Chronic illness impacts a person's entire
lifestyle -- work, family and recreation," says Gail Wright, Ph.D., a rehabilitation
psychologist at the University of Missouri, Columbia.
It now begs the question if you or your family has been bitten by the arthritis
bug. How can you cope, deal or manage your pain? How can you keep the quality of life or can you? Something to think about..
Proper treatment depends on correct diagnosis
of the specific disease, and varies with severity and location, as well
as from person to person. But treatment need not wait for a final diagnosis
because initial treatment options, such as anti-inflammatory drugs and exercise,
are similar for many forms of the disease.
Treatment should begin early
to reduce joint damage.The drugs used for treating most types
of arthritis are drawn from many categories, but can be thought of in a
few broad groups, such as anti-inflammatory drugs and disease-modifying
drugs. More than one medication may be required for treating
arthritis.
Anti-inflammatory agents generally work
by slowing the body's production of prostaglandins, substances that play
a role in inflammation. Many have an analgesic, or painkilling, effect at
low doses. Usually, higher, sustained doses are required to see sufficient
anti-inflammatory activity for treating arthritis.
The most familiar anti-inflammatory
agent is aspirin, often a good arthritis treatment. Like aspirin, nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) fight pain and inflammation. More than
a dozen NSAIDs are available, most by prescription only. At press time,
FDA was considering whether labeling changes to prescription-strength NSAIDs
are necessary, due to gastrointestinal side effects.