Successful arthritis treatments depend on each individual's case, severity and the location of the joint affected. When creating a treatment plan, your physician will also take into consideration your age and occupation, in order to develop a long lasting effective treatment program.

Medications

There are many over the counter and prescription medications that can be taken to provide relief from the pain and inflammation associated with arthritis. Your physician will give you several over the counter medication options before trying any prescription drugs. Acetaminophen, sold over the counter as Tylenol, is usually the first treatment given for osteoarthritis. According to Medline Plus, Tylenol is recommended by the American College of Rheumatology and the American Geriatrics Society. For treatment of arthritis, two arthritis strength Tylenol should be taken every eight hours. The recommended dosage is four grams. You will find that Tylenol lacks many of the side-effects that other arthritis medications have. It is important that you do not take more than the recommended dosage, as this can cause liver damage. Other recommended over the counter medications are aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen. These medications have several possible adverse side effects, which include heart attack, stroke, peptic ulcers, digestive tract bleeding and kidney damage. One widely used group of medications used to treat arthritis are corticosteroids. Corticosteroids are prescription medications used to suppress the immune system in order to minimize inflammation. They are given as injections, and are directly administered to the inflamed area. These injections are only given to people with autoimmune forms of arthritis and not arthritis caused by infectious diseases. Another medication group used to treat arthritis is Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors. These are used to block enzymes that create inflammation. The main drug prescribed in this category is Celebrex. The FDA has approved it, but with stark warnings of its side effects, which include heart attacks and strokes. Other prescription medications used for treating arthritis are immunosuppressants, anti-rheumatic drugs and biologics.

Self-Help

Exercising is highly recommended for the maintenance of healthy bones and joints. If you have arthritis, it also reduces stiffness, pain and fatigue, along with promoting bone and muscle strength. Discuss with your physician what exercises are best for your specific type of arthritis. It is usually recommended that you do low-impact aerobics (endurance exercises), flexibility exercises to increase your range of motion and strength training. Sleeping eight to 10 hours a night and taking short naps will help you recover from arthritis flare-ups quickly. Things you should avoid are holding one position for too long (this includes standing), and positions that place extra stress on your joints (especially the affected ones). Reducing stress will also help to minimize the symptoms associated with all types of arthritis.

Source:

Medline Plus: Arthritis

FDA.gov: Celbrex warning

Medicinenet.com: Arthritis