Arthritis: How to ease the pain

If you live with arthritis, you know it's not usually that simple. The Public Health Agency of Canada says that people with arthritis experience more pain and restrictions than patients with any other chronic disease, report more disrupted sleep and depression, and are more likely to need help with daily activities.

Immediate pain relief is only part of the solution: controlling inflammation, improving mobility, dealing with secondary symptoms (like fatigue and depression) and preventing permanent damage need to be part of the plan. However, today's patients have more options for treating the more than 100 related conditions that can cause pain and swelling in the joints and fall under the heading of arthritis.

Here are some of the steps that might be included in a comprehensive treatment plan.

Deal with the symptoms

The first concern: dealing with the pain, inflammation and stiffness. Not only does it affect your quality of life, but left untreated can lead to a downward spiral. For example, pain can rob you of a good night's sleep and make you skip your exercise routine -- but a lack of physical activity and insufficient rest can make the condition worse.

Some of the choices to deal with symptoms include:

- Acetaminophen. While not an anti-inflammatory, it's often used to treat osteoarthritis (the most common type).

- Ibuprofen and acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), which offer relief from both pain and inflammation.

- Combination preparations, which include one of the pain relievers listed above combined with codeine and/or muscle relaxants.

- Creams and gels. These topical treatments "trick" your brain into numbing the area, or provide soothing heat or cold. Many products contain ASA, capsaicin or menthol.

- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), a class of drugs which don't contain cortisone. (ASA and ibuprofen also fall under this heading). In addition to treating pain, their job is to minimize persistent inflammation by targeting the enzymes and hormones (like prostaglandin) that can cause it. Coxibs, the latest NSAID class, are designed to be gentler on the stomach.

Of course, following the doctor's and pharmacist's advice or the instructions on the package is essential to avoid dangerous combinations or overdose. For instance, you can take acetaminophen when you are taking an NSAID, but stay clear of ASA or ibuprofen (i.e. don't take more than one NSAID). The regular use of an ASA cream can put you over the limit if you're taking ASA tablets too.