Best Treatments For Arthritis - Conventional Treatments For Arthritis Pain Relief

Arthritis, though may not be termed as a very serious illness is definitely a very difficult one for those suffering from severe forms of the disease. There has been a large amount of research done on arthritis and medical practitioners have suggested several treatments for the same. Before analyzing what are the best treatments for arthritis one must need to know what we are trying to achieve or what the objectives of a good arthritis treatment are.

The goals or aims of any arthritis treatment are to relieve pain or any kind of inflammation, to ensure that work life of the person is not affected, advancement in disease is reduced and one is able to be independent as well as have a good quality of life. Hence the best treatments of arthritis would be those which fulfill these goals to the fullest extent.

Some of the conventional treatments for arthritis pain relief are as follows:

Educating and supporting the patient, teaching the importance of joint protection, regular exercise and weight loss.

Some of the most familiar medications for arthritis over the years are Tylenol for pain relief and NSAID's like Advil, Ibuprofen, naproxen etc in case pain is intolerable. NSAID's are said to have adverse side effects like gastro intestinal problems and even headache and giddiness. The sad part is that though these drugs relieve pain temporarily they prevent the synthesis of collagen eventually accelerating the destruction of cartilage and causing more severe arthritis.

In case the patient is suffering from inflammations COX 2 inhibitors are used. In case of swollen joints the fluid is removed and a steroid injection is given.

In case you need to replace the joint it self then one may need to go for surgery.

Now medical practitioners are insisting on more natural methods of treating arthritis that have proved more effective than conventional methods. Firstly arthritis varies from person to person and needs to be treated individually. What worked for someone else may not work for you. A healthy balanced diet with plenty of calcium to strengthen the bones can work wonders. You may think of nutritional supplements like antioxidant nutrients that reduce the loss of cartilage and advancement of disease. A good dosage of glucose amine for at least two months will help an elderly person as the ability to produce this component of cartilage gradually deteriorates with aging. One may also ensure that they include Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, vitamin B6, pantothenic acid, zinc copper and boron as all these contribute to cartilage regeneration and any deficiency causes damage.

Even exercises need to be person specific. Do not do exercises which will apply more stress on your joints or which will end up in more severe pain. Mild stretching, massage and heat application may help relieve stress to a certain extent. It is important to remember to consult your medical practitioner before taking any treatment. The other new treatment being introduced is herbal treatment. These treatments have proved to be more effective and have lesser side effects than other drugs in the long run. Whatever may be the severity of arthritis the best treatment is a positive mind, good exercising and a healthy balanced diet.