Arthritis - How to Treat It Effectively?

Are you suffering from arthritis and looking for effective treatment options? Arthritis is a chronic, systematic inflammatory disease that causes damage to your joints and connective tissues. The knee is primarily affected by this condition and there are three main forms of arthritis which occur in your knees. There are several treatment options and procedures for treating arthritis. They are as follows:

Several medications are used for arthritis treatment. They are:

1. Analgesics: These medicines help in pain reduction but do not heal inflammation.
2. NSAIDS: NSAIDS or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used for reducing inflammation and pain as a result of arthritis.
3. Counter-irritants: These include creams and ointments containing capsaicin or menthol. Applying these creams on the skin helps with pain relief.
4. DMARDS: Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs are used in case of rheumatoid arthritis. These help in slowing down your immune system from targeting your joints.
5. Corticosteroids: This form of medicine includes cortisone and prednisone and helps in reducing inflammation and suppressing your immune system. These can be injected into your joint or taken orally.

Therapy
Physical therapy is beneficial for certain types of arthritis. Exercising helps in improving your range of motion, and the strength of your muscles which surrounds the affected joint. Splints and braces are prescribed in some cases.

Surgery

When all other treatment measures fail, a surgery may be required to be carried out.

1. Joint repair: In some cases, the surface of your joints can be realigned and smoothened in order to improve function and eliminate pain. These surgeries are arthroscopically performed via incisions made on the joint.
2. Joint replacement: During this surgery, your damaged joint gets removed and replaced with an artificial joint. The hip and knee joints are commonly replaced surgically.
3. Joint fusion: This surgical procedure is used in case of smaller joints of your body. The ends of the two bones in your joint are removed and the removed ends are locked together till they heal into one unit.

Alternative treatment options
You can also opt for certain alternative remedies for arthritis. Some of them are as follows:

1. Acupuncture: In this therapy, fine needles are inserted at certain points on your skin for reducing arthritis pain.
2. Yoga and tai chi: The movements associated with yoga and tai chi are slow and stretching in nature. These help in improving joint flexibility. Your range of motion gets improved as well.

Light massages which involve stroking and kneading of your muscles help in increasing blood flow. This warms up the affected joints, providing temporary relief from arthritis pain. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an Orthopedist.