| Arthritis is the leading cause of disability for people | | | | using a simple outpatient procedure can often provide |
| over the age of sixty five, and can also occur as a | | | | a significant level of relief. |
| debilitating disorder in younger individuals. The disorder | | | | As the fluids build up over time, the treatment can |
| is actually a conglomeration of syndromes that | | | | be repeated. Other options include medications that |
| damage the joints, particularly the cartilage between | | | | do not treat pain directly but rather go after the root |
| the joints. | | | | causes of the disorder. These medications may |
| There are a number of different forms of the | | | | improve cartilage health or increase the lubrication |
| disease, and they all have different symptoms and | | | | between joint structures. For those who have tried |
| causes. The pain of arthritis varies according to type | | | | all of the available arthritis pain medication and other |
| and severity, but is almost always described as an | | | | arthritis treatment options, the last resort option is to |
| aching or burning sensation. The pain may be worse | | | | have the afflicted joint surgically replaced. |
| at certain times of the day or following certain types | | | | While this is a major operation and may require |
| of activity. | | | | physical rehabilitation afterwards, the success rate for |
| There are a number of ways for those who are | | | | such surgery is quite high, and many sufferers have |
| afflicted with the disorder to find arthritis relief. For | | | | found themselves to be pain free for the first time in |
| extremely mild cases, it is possible to find arthritis | | | | years following joint replacement surgery. The |
| pain relief through physical therapy and over the | | | | replacement joint devices are always improving, and |
| counter topical analgesic balms. Slightly more severe | | | | the latest models are almost identical to the human |
| cases can be treated using over the counter pain | | | | joint that they replace. |
| relievers. However, even the most innocuous | | | | Arthritis is a very painful and debilitating disorder. |
| seeming and well known pain relief medication can | | | | While the disease was once only treatable via home |
| have potentially severe side effects if taken often or | | | | remedies and general pain relief medication, advances |
| in conjunction with other medications, so it is | | | | in medical science have introduced a number of |
| important that sufferers tell their physician of any | | | | treatments that have proven to be remarkably |
| over the counter pain relief medication use. | | | | successful in treating even the most severe cases. |
| Severe arthritis can be treated with prescription | | | | These include newer medications that treat the |
| analgesics. There are also a number of techniques | | | | causes of the disorder rather than just the pain as |
| that can be used to treat the pain. For example, | | | | well as newer surgical techniques that allow for the |
| occasionally arthritis is associated with a build up of | | | | complete replacement of afflicted joints. |
| fluids in the affected area, and draining these fluids | | | | |