After receiving a diagnosis of arthritis, your doctor may gently inform you that there is no cure for this disease. However, treatment for arthritis includes both medication and non-medication therapies, like exercise and relaxation techniques. If your physician feels that you would benefit from arthritis medication, used either independently or in conjunction with a physical therapy program, understanding the types of prescription drugs will help you manage your condition more wisely.

Treatment to Control Pain

Basically, arthritis medication can be divided into two categories: treatment for pain and treatment to control or slow down the progression of the disease. In the first case, help may be as close as your medicine cabinet. Acetaminophen can relieve pain, but can't reduce the swelling and inflammation of the joints. Ibuprofen can reduce both pain and inflammation, but it often causes gastrointestinal discomfort. Because of the limited relief of these types of pain relievers, your doctor may prescribe arthritis medication that would give you more effective results. NSAIDs, also known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, are the most widely prescribed medication for arthritis. Because these drugs are so popular, much research is being done to develop newer and safer forms of this medication. However, on the down side, NSAIDs need to be taken for days or even weeks for patients to experience any true benefits from them. While all of the medication mentioned thus far deals with pain management and decreasing inflammation, none of these drugs affect the course of the disease.

Treatment to Control the Disease

For arthritis medication to be most effective, physicians consider a two-pronged approach. The second aspect of this disease involves controlling the progression of the condition. The medications that are used to do this actually help to prevent joint damage and therefore decrease the likelihood of deformities. For the most part, these types of arthritis medications take anywhere from six weeks to six months to show an improvement in the patient because of the specialized work they do in the body. These prescription drugs shut down the inflammatory response, which takes a while to accomplish but offers the more long-lasting benefit of healthier joints.

Currently, there are over 100 arthritis medications on the market. A doctor may often recommend a combination of drugs to control the symptoms and halt the disease. Oftentimes, a patient will discover that they may need to change their arthritis medication after months or years on a certain prescription regiment. The best way to treat and control arthritis is by having a thorough understanding of this disease and the many medications that can provide relief.