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How is
osteoarthritis managed?
Osteoarthritis
is usally managed using a combination of:
- Education about
the disease
- Weight control
(if obesity is a problem)
- Physical therapy
to strengthen and mobilize joints
- Aerobic exercise
to increase overall fitness and weight loss
- Medication to
control pain and reduce inflammation
What are the treatment
options?
If your doctor
determines that you need to include medication
in your treatment program, he or she may suggest
a mild analgesic (pain-killer) such as aspirin,
acetaminophen/paracetamol or prescribe an NSAID
(non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) to help
reduce your pain. NSAIDs work to reduce the inflammation,
pain and swelling of arthritis.
Occasional use
of analgesics or NSAIDs usually do not cause problems,
but if you take larger doses or your treatment
extends for a long period of time, some of you
might experience some side effects. Many people
taking NSAIDs experience some sort of stomach
upsets. This might be for some of you, a bloated
feeling, gas, heartburn or stomach ache and there
could also be constipation, diarrhea, nausea or
vomiting. If you experience any unexpected effects,
signs or symptoms from your medication or whenever
you have any questions regarding your medication
you should contact your doctor without hesitation.
Alternatively,
your doctor may prescribe you with newer medications
that may be better tolerated. A new class of medicines,
called COX-2 inhibitors (Coxibis), has been developed
to treat arthritis pain and inflammation. These
compounds have been designed to block the action
of COX-2 only, leaving the important function
of COX-1 intact. This selective action on COX-2
results in potentially better tolerated pain relief.
For example, rofecoxib, a medicine belonging to
the Coxib class, provided relief from arthritis
pain and inflammation with significantly fewer
sever stomach side effects compared to other studied
NSAIDs as shown in clinical studies. Rofecoxib
is also the only COX-2 inhibitor approved for
relief of acute pain by the United States Food
and Drug Administration (U.S. FDA) and the Philippine
Bureau of Food and Drugs. Like the long-term treatment
with common pain relievers, however, if you experience
unexpected effects like kidney problems, water
retention or increases in blood pressure while
taking Coxibis, you should consult your doctor
right away.
The exact treatment
you will receive will depend upon the severity
of your condition and how much your lifestyle
is affected by your arthritis. Whatever form of
treatment you receive, it is very important that
you understand what it is for, what you can expect
from it and how it will help your arthritis. Understanding
these things will help you to take a more active
role in your own treatment, to feel more in control
of the disease and to get the most benefit from
your treatment program.
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