Individuals who develop osteoarthritis are often affected by pain in their joints on a regular basis. This kind of pain hinders their ability to perform routine tasks such as gardening or even preparing meals, if it is not properly managed.
There are several ways to effectively alleviate osteoarthritis pain. However, some last a little longer than others. Some are also only beneficial if the pain is fairly mild.
Mild Pain
Mild osteoarthritis pain can usually be managed with medication. Many people who suffer from osteoarthritis that is fairly mild may find that they don’t even need to take medication every day.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication may be used for this purpose. However, it’s important to note that it needs to be taken for a few hours before you would normally feel the pain coming on, for it to be effective.
Over the counter medications such as Tylenol may also be recommended by your doctor. This helps with mild arthritis pain and usually takes effect soon after you have it.
Moderate Osteoarthritis Pain
Sometimes moderate osteoarthritis pain can also be helped with medication. However you’re doctor may choose to give you a prescription for medication, instead of recommending an over-the-counter alternative.
It’s important to stick to the recommended dosage for the medication that you use for your osteoarthritis pain. Exceeding the dosage can lead to liver damage.
If you’ve been using medication to manage your osteoarthritis pain for a while but you’re now finding but it doesn’t seem to be helping as much as it did before, you may need to discuss all the alternatives with your doctor. They can suggest osteoarthritis pain relief options that may be more effective for you at this stage of your life.
Pain that isn’t Alleviated by Medication
If you’re no longer benefiting from medication, your doctor may suggest procedures which can help to alleviate some of the pressure on your joints. For example, in some types of knee surgery, doctors can move a small amount of bone, so that you no longer place pressure on your knee joints in a way that causes pain.
Your doctor may also discuss the possibility of using a cortisone injection to alleviate pain. This can bring significant relief for quite some time.
However, it is not a permanent solution. Cortisone injections can only be given a few times a year so there’s a limit to how much you can benefit from them.
