Osteoarthritis is the most known type of arthritis -- troubling to about 27 million Americans, according to US health statistics. It basically affects...
Osteoarthritis is the most known type of arthritis -- troubling to about 27 million Americans,
according to US health statistics. It basically affects the joint cartilage, which wears out. Thus, without the cartilage serving as cushion, the bones rub against each other, resulting to stiffness and pain.
Several treatments are available to comfort the pain and rigidity. There are natural ways to remedy the disease such as exercising, eating the right foods, alternative medicines which include tai chi, yoga, acupuncture, and others. But the most frequently used form of treatment is prescribed medication.
Your doctor may require you to take these medicines to pacify your condition, however, in almost all medications; there are just adverse reactions or side effects that you cannot avoid.
Here are some medicines often prescribed to patients suffering from osteoarthritis, as well as their corresponding side effects and ways on how you can manage it:
Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) and Disease-modifying Anti-rheumatic Drugs (DMARDs)
Side-effects: Stomach upset and nausea
How to manage: Eat first before intake of drug.
It is better to take it in the afternoon or in the evening, rather than in the morning.
Take NSAIDs in a combination with a drug that shrinks stomach acid. These are cimetidine (Tagamet), ranitidine hydrochloride (Zantac), esomeprazole (Nexium), lansoprazole (Prevacid) and omeprazole (Prilosec).
Methotrexate
Side-effect: Mouth ulcer
How to manage:
Do not eat citrus fruits, salty or spicy foods as it may irritate the ulcer.
You may try oral gels such as Oragel or Zilactin to relieve pain, or some mouthwash to aid in healing.
Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)
Side-effect: Stomach ulcer
How to manage:
Ask your doctor about celecoxib (Celebrex) because it has slighter risk of causing stomach ulcer
Do not take NSAID with another drug containing NSAID as well as it stimulates stomach ulcer
When under NSAID medication, avoid alcoholic drinks as it triggers gastric bleeding.
Antidepressants and Narcotic Analgesics
Side-effect: Dry mouth
How to manage:
No alcoholic beverages or mouthwash that has alcohol content as it aggravates dry mouth.
Check out these saliva alternatives, Glandosan, Xerolube, and Salivart.
Keep your mouth moist by sucking on ice chips or candies that are free from sugar
Corticosteroids
Side-effect: Insomnia
How to manage:
Avoid drinking coffee as it is a known stimulant that deprives you of sleep.
Take it once daily in the morning.
Presented here are just the mild side effects of these drugs. If you are, in any way, suffering from much more serious side effects, talk to your doctor about it so proper care may be done. There are more than a few cases in which patients encounter severe complications.
Taking these medications are helpful in alleviating mild pain from osteoarthritis, but when it becomes too much to bear, a hip replacement usually is the option. However, hip implants used have been causing tremendous problems which are considered grave and dangerous. This triggered some companies to pull out their products in the market, such as Stryker hip implant recall.
