(NC)-Pain from osteoarthritis (OA) can be so intense and constant that it can consume every waking moment (and can cause many sleepless nights). Due to pain, some people with OA may be unable to continue with their daily activities and as a result they become less active in an attempt to keep their joints as comfortable as possible. This inactivity can have negative effects on muscles and joints leading to a loss of strength, reduced flexibility, and more pain.
According to Dr. Bookman, former chair of The Arthritis Society’s medical advisory committee, “Muscle strengthening will actually control pain; people with strong muscles around their joints have far less pain than those with weak muscles.”
Arthritis pain requires a combination of therapies as no single management technique is powerful enough to provide non-stop pain relief; it is essential that people with OA become actively involved in developing their treatment plan which should include both medical and non-medical therapies.
More information about medical therapies is available in a new publication, The Consumer’s Guide to Arthritis Medications which can be downloaded online at www.arthritis.ca/publications or ordered toll-free at 1-800-321-1433.
The general approach to treating OA with medications is to reduce pain, increase function, and slow down the progression of the disease. Unfortunately, there is no medication that has been shown to consistently slow down OA. For the most part, the goal of both prescription and non-prescription medications for OA is to reduce pain and allow Canadians to live their lives to the fullest.
Credit: www.newscanada.com
