TREATMENT FOR ARTHRITIS

A cornorstone of therapy of any form of arthritis is physical therapy and occupational therapy to maintain joint mobility and range of motion.The proper kind and amount of this therapy will vary upon the underlying cause and individual factors that your physician will discuss with you.

Many drugs are now used to treat the inflammation and pain associated with arthritis.Aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen (Motrin, and others), naproxen (Naprosyn, and others) and diclofenac (Voltaren), have immediate analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects and are relatively safe.

Second-line drugs used for treatment for rheumatoid arthritis include hudroxyxhloroquine, gold, penicillamin, azathioprine, sulfasalazine and methotrexate. These agents (which have no immediate analgesic effect) can control symptoms and may possibly delay progression of the disease, but many of them can also cause severe adverse effects and diminish the effectiveness over time. NSAIDs are taken concurrently with the slow acting second-line drugs, which may take months to produce a therapeutic response.