Pain Relief Info Guide

Arthritis pain can take the fun out of those things you love to do. Arthritis may affect almost any joint in your body and cause pain. It often affects the hips, neck, hands, knees and lower back. The condition usually gets worse over time and there is no known cure, although there are treatments that may help you through the day.

Several contributing factors may affect the disease, but researchers are not sure of the actual cause of osteoarthritis. Some of the contributing factors include injury, aging, weak muscles, heredity and obesity.

Most people do not have problems with osteoarthritis until after age forty. The condition is more prevalent in women than in men. One of the risk factors are sports injuries. Additionally, some jobs that put additional stress on the joints may be a factor in development of the disease.

Over time, osteoarthritis can get worse. The pain may become so severe that persons are no longer able to work or enjoy hobbies. At that point, your doctor may encourage you to have joint replacement surgery.

Several medications do help with the disease. Some of these are available over the counter and include acetaminophen that helps with pain, NASIDs that help with both pain relief and to relieve swelling. Ibuprofen is a NASID.

If you are not having success with over the counter medications, the doctor may write a prescription for Tramadol, Darvon or one of the many codeine derivatives. Many doctors also use cortisone shots to help to relieve swelling and pain.

In addition, some people find help from a natural remedy called glucosamine. This naturally occurring substance is useful in rebuilding the skeletal structure that may have been lost due to osteoarthritis. Costco offers their own Kirkland glucosamine that is affordable and a very good product.

Once you find relief for the pain caused by arthritis, you will begin to feel better. You may feel so much better that you decide to pick up an old hobby that has been laid aside due to your pain from arthritis.

It may be time to dust off the old dreadnought acoustic guitar and play a few tunes or get together with the old garage band again. Fingers that had lost their flexibility may once again be nimble enough to play like a young rock star.

Maybe, instead, you want to pull out the old PS2. If you can find the ps2 transformers, you can show the grandkids how a video game should be played. Your once again nimble fingers will let you fine tune your game while they are stuck in school.