A diagnosis of arthritis can be extremely stressful and challenging as you deal with various new information. Some of you may also be worried about your future while talking to different health care providers who assist and guide you in managing your disease. For most people, a chronic illness can be a lot to survive but rest assured, it’s not impossible. You play an essential role in controlling your disease and staying as healthy as possible. Make sure to consult an experienced doctor to acquire a suitable arthritis treatment and build a secure connection with your doctor.
Different Types of Treatments Available for Arthritis
Arthritis treatments majorly focus on reducing symptoms and improving all the joint function. For some, you may need to opt for multiple procedures or combinations of treatments before you find the one that is best for you.
- Medications: The medications utilised to treat arthritis differ, relying on the kind of arthritis of having. However, here are some commonly employed arthritis medications:
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Painkillers: Such medications assist in reducing the pain, but do not affect the inflammation. Some options include acetaminophen (Tylenol and others).
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Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): These medications help in reducing both pain and inflammation. Some NSAIDs include naproxen (Aleve) and ibuprofen (Motrin IB and Advil). They are only available on prescription by experts.
- Therapy: Physical therapy is extremely beneficial for some types of arthritis. Regular exercise can enhance your movement, motion, and boost your strength in the muscles surrounding joints. In some instances, braces and splints can be warranted.
- Surgery: If some conservative measures are not successful, your respective doctor may recommend surgical procedures, like:
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Joint Repair: In most cases, joint surfaces can be realigned to minimise pain and enhance function. These kinds of methods can often be done arthroscopically via small incisions over your joint.
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Joint Fusion: The procedure is majorly performed for smaller joints like those in the wrist, fingers, and ankle areas. It successfully removes the ends of the two bones in the joint and then locks them together until they heal into a single firm unit.
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Joint Replacement: It is a procedure done to remove your damaged or injured joint and replace it with an artificial one. Moreover, the hips and knees are the most commonly replaced joints.
Lifestyle & Home Remedies
In most cases, arthritis symptoms can be minimised by making some lifestyle changes and home remedies. Some of the following measures are:
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If you have gained weight or are obese, losing some weight can help reduce the stress on your weight-bearing joints. It can also increase your mobility and limit future joint injuries. Most important, you can lead a healthy lifestyle.
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By doing exercise daily, you can help maintain your joints’ flexibility. You can even dry swimming and other water aerobics as they are good options to reduce stress on weight-bearing joints.
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Use heating pads or ice packs as it can help in relieving some pain that you may experience in arthritis.
In conclusion, you should find a suitable arthritis treatment and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
