Arthritis is a painful thing to have to endure for anyone. Although it does tend to present itself in the elderly, the younger people that are afflicted with this problem need preventive care just as much. Most doctors will prescribe the regular pain inhibitors and inflammation reducers, but these medications if taken over a long period of time can have harmful effects on the body. There is another, new arthritis medication that is being used more and more frequently that causes less to no side effects. It is a Cox-2 inhibitor.
The Cox-2 inhibitors are great alternatives to the regular NSAIDS medications that have been used for years. Doctors are now starting to prescribe the Cox-2 inhibitors as new arthritis medication because of the fewer side effects. Luckily there are many different treatments for arthritis, so the patient can explore, with the guidance of his or her doctor, and find the treatment that best suit them.
Cox-2 is an enzyme that causes pain the areas that arthritis occurs, so by using a Cox-2 inhibitor, the patient can stop the enzyme from being released and thus decrease the pain that goes with it. The regular medications that doctors have been prescribe perform the same function, but they also, if used for an extended period of time, have been known to cause severe side effects in the kidneys, liver, and central nervous system. Whereas, the Cox-2 inhibitors effectively block the pain enzyme but does not the other systems or enzymes of the body, and therefore, it decreases the number of side effects sometime to no side effects at all.
There is also the option of having an intravenous shot done. This treatment has the patient go into the doctor every eight weeks and has some very minor side effects. The main concern with having this procedure done is the more needle sticks the patient gets, the more sensitive the areas that are being stuck. This can also become very expensive if the patient does not have insurance that will cover this kind of permanent procedure.
Another possible drug is the Disease-Modifying Ant rheumatic Drugs that are made specifically for arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. These drugs are taken once daily and are generally associated with a few side effects. However, the drugs are also good for not only relieving the pain of arthritis but also for reducing the swelling at the joints that arthritis causes.
To conclude, there are a lot of different ways for someone to help himself or herself care for and sometimes even prevent the pain that comes with arthritis. The most common forms of pain reducer for arthritis are NSAIDS, and if the patient's doctor has prescribed the regular NSAIDS, the patient should be aware of the signs of the side effects of the drug. There is also the option of taking intravenous shots and oral medications that can be taken daily. However, with the use of the Cox-2 inhibitor, the patient can be virtually pain free as well as not have to worry about the side effects.
