The severity of your arthritis may dramatically increase if you don't stick to your medication regiment.

With all the obstacles we face every day, it's inevitable that something important may slip your mind on occasion. But when it comes to managing arthritis pain, remembering to take prescribed medication is a high-priority task that must not be forgotten. While certain drugs may produce various side effects that can be trying and irritating, the fact of the matter is that skipping medication will generally cause symptoms of arthritis to worsen over time.

Missing Medication

It's a good rule of thumb to remember that the only time it's necessary to stop taking arthritis medication is when advised by your physician. Even when you've been feeling pain-free for a few days or weeks, missing out on even a few doses may bring back severe inflammation episodes. Symptoms of arthritis are tricky because they are often unpredictable and may come and go for long durations. Before even considering skipping your prescription, discuss with your doctor why you believe you should no longer be taking medication.

Studies Dismiss Skipping

Researchers have also noted that arthritis patients skipping their medication has become a trend in the past few years. In a study published in the medical journal "Arthritis & Rheumatism," doctors discovered that only one-fifth of people living with rheumatoid arthritis are taking their medications as prescribed.

Not adhering to medication plans doesn't only pertain to increasing the risk of symptom attacks. One study has explored how not taking prescription drugs for arthritis is costing patients thousands of dollars. Researchers from the University of Manchester found that failing to take medication as instructed not only leads to a decrease in effectiveness for the drugs treating severe rheumatoid arthritis, but since it costs $13,000 to $20,000 per year for the cutting-edge medication, patients are certainly not getting bang for their buck.

Dr. Kimme Hyrich, a professor at the University of Manchester and lead author in the study, determined that skipping medication is one of the main reasons why patients don't see improvements in their arthritis condition, and the importance of sticking to a prescription plan needs to be better emphasized.

"If patients do not take their medication as prescribed it is likely to have a significant effect on whether they respond to therapy and could mean that their condition deteriorates more quickly affecting their quality of life," Hyrich said in a statement. "Non-adherence is also a waste of scarce healthcare resources and something that needs to be addressed."

Overdosing

On the flipside, people who are taking more medication than what is recommended for their arthritis treatment may also be causing their body harm. One of the most common misconceptions of relieving symptoms of arthritis is that taking over-the-counter drugs is a quick and harmless way to temporarily treat pain. The Mayo Clinic strongly advises against repetitive usage of such forms of medication, mainly because high consumption of these products has been linked to stomach, kidney or liver damage.

If you're currently sticking to a medication plan prescribed by your physician, continue to follow instructions until medically advised otherwise.

To learn more about managing medication for your arthritis:

Are Your Drugs Working Against Each Other?
9 Tips to Manage the Most Common Side Effects of Medication
Talking to Your Doctor: What to Do when Potential Side Effects Are Worrying You