Arthritis Pain Relief Methods

Arthritis is an inflammation of the joints that can occur anywhere on the body. It is an auto immune disease, which means that the body literally attacks itself. Unfortunately, there is no cure for arthritis, however there are many remedies out there that will help deal with the pain.

Medications can be prescribed to help with the pain from arthritis. The use of corticosteroids, such as prednisone, will help reduce inflammation of arthritis, therefore relieving the pain. There is a class of drugs called COX-2 inhibitors that can be prescribed for arthritis pain. However, in recent years a few of these medications have been taken off the market due to increased risk of heart problems. Just remember that with any medication you will always have the risk of side effects.

NSAIDS such as Motrin or Aleve are successful in controlling arthritis pain. Tylenol also makes an arthritis medicine that is fairly safe.

Topical creams that you rub on the painful joint may have some benefit in decreasing your arthritis pain. There are basically three different types of cream:

1) Creams that make the skin feel either hot or it may make it feel cold. These are skin irritants that contain ingredients such as oil of wintergreen, menthol or eucalyptus oil. It produces a feeling of heat or cold where applied, therefore distracting you from the pain of your arthritis. These may be purchased over the counter and have brand names such as, Jointflex or Flexall 454 or Icy Hot.

2) Aspirin pain rubs. These creams contain salicylates, which is the same ingredient found in the pain reliever aspirin. The brands names of aspirin rubs are, Bengay, Aspercreme and Sportscreme.

3) Capsaicin Creams. These creams contain a substance found in the seeds of chili peppers called capsaicin. These creams will deplete a chemical found in your nerve cells called substance P. This chemical is responsible for sending pain messages throughout the body. Brand names that contain capsaicin are, Zostrix, Arthticare and Capzasin.

The list of alternative treatments for arthritis pain is a very long one. It seems that everyone has a "cure" for the pain of arthritis. For this article, we will just touch on a few of them.

Chondroitin and glucosamine dietary supplements. This supplement is said to relieve the pain of arthritis and to help prevent the breakdown of cartilage and to promote it's growth.

MSM is a compound that is said to relieve pain and inflammation associated with arthritis. It is sold in tablets, capsules or topical creams. In animal studies involving mice, MSM relieved the symptoms of arthritis. Few studies have been performed on humans.

Bee sting therapy. Studies have found that the principle peptide found in bee venom blocks the expression of the inflammatory gene that can cause painful tissue inflammation and swelling in arthritis patients. This must be used very carefully because it runs a high risk of anaphylactic shock.

Acupuncture involves sticking tiny sterile needles into the skin at specific trigger points in the body to help relieve pain. It has had some success in relieving the pain of arthritis.

The most important thing to remember is to always be honest with your doctor about the treatments you are using for your arthritis pain. Research any treatment that you are considering thoroughly. Weigh the risks and the benefits and decide if it is right for you.