If you are one of the millions suffering from chronic arthritis, then the news of dud painkillers and pseudo-drugs are not entirely encouraging. That being said, there are many ways to ease pain with less side-effects, reduced dependency and give that joint replacement pause.
Whether you take over-the-counter medicine or otherwise, they all carry with them certain risks that you need to bear in mind.
Non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs such as Diclofenac may be one of the most popular drugs in the world, but it has recently come to light that it also boosts your risks of having a heart attack or a stroke by 91 percent. Whilst this is daunting, there is an alternative that is not ingested. Diclofenac can also be found in cream form, which serves as the safest alternative to this dangerous problem.
Pain relievers such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen also carry with them the risks of heart and liver problems by 29 percent.
Not everything however, is caused merely by the drug.
Viscosupplementation is one such example. It is the injection of a synthetic layer which is placed between the joints, acting like the cartilage that is lost through arthritis. Whilst a substantial relief, it is less effective if you are obese, inactive or if you lack leg strength. It is said however that even if you are young and athletic, there’s sometimes no benefit.
If this is all starting to sound very doom-and-gloom, then don’t be disheartened. There is another way. The answers may be a little simpler than you may imagine.
It was mentioned earlier that the safer alternative to oral or injection-based medication was that of gels and creams. Ointments containing a chilli-pepper extract (capsaicin) can reduce pain by 40 percent if applied daily. Capsaicin works by reducing the number of pain signals sent to your brain.
Stretching and exercise will also be a boon to your body. Warm water aerobics, an exercise bike or even just a walkabout will ease motion and build muscles to take the problem out of your bones. Talk to your doctor about the best routine for you – you may surprise yourself at what you can do.
It’s natural to believe that through exercise comes weight loss. By losing weight, you take the pressure out of your joints – each pound that you lose takes four pounds off your joints. Now isn’t that a sigh of relief?
Dieting – the other method of weight loss. Foods can ease off inflammation as easily as the tablets that you take – only with positive side-effects! Fruits and vegetables are a great source of anti-inflammatory goodness. Whilst refined grains, sunflower and soybean oils up the inflammation, foods such as strawberries, leafy greens, carrots, blueberries and cherries will help you. Try out fatty fish like omega-3 DHA-loaded salmon and trout; then drizzle salads with olive oil. Throw in some omega-3 rich walnuts; and wash it all down with green tea.
Now isn’t that a treat?