Arthritis Pain: How to Manage Arthritis Pain

Arthritis pain is devastating to try to live with. It leaves your joints feeling achy and stiff and simply trying to do the most basic tasks with arthritis can leave you in agony. But not only is arthritis debilitating, it’s surprisingly common. It’s estimated that over 350 million people in the world currently have arthritis.

So the odds of developing the condition are pretty high, especially as you get older. That’s why learning how to manage this pain is so important. But, let’s start with the basics. What is arthritis? What does it do to your body? And how can you manage arthritis pain?

What Is Arthritis?

Arthritis is actually a number of different conditions. In fact, there are over 100 different kinds of arthritis based on what causes it and what part of your body is affected. The most common form is something called osteoarthritis, which is a condition where the tissue between your joints decays over time.

It’s common as you get older and the stress of daily life naturally wears down the protective tissue between your joints, called the synovium. Certain things can make this more likely, like being overweight. But the older you get, the more likely you are to develop osteoarthritis.

Another common form of arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis, which is actually caused by an autoimmune condition. Basically, the immune system that usually attacks viruses and bacteria that enter your system instead begin to attack the synovium between your joints, making it thick and inflamed. This leads to intense pain and swelling in the joints.

How Can You Manage Arthritis Pain?

How you manage arthritis pain will depend mostly on what sort of arthritis you have. For cases of rheumatoid arthritis, the first step is to treat the inflammation that damages your joints. This prevents your synovium from becoming more damaged and helps deal with the pain at the same time. And if you go to a doctor for help with your pain, there’s a good chance they’ll direct you to simple over-the-counter pain medications like aspirin and ibuprofen. Most of these kinds of drugs are something called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which means they act against inflammation caused by arthritis.

And that, combined with their low risk of serious side effects, makes them the first line of defense when it comes to managing pain. But as anyone with rheumatoid arthritis knows, these are often not really enough to manage severe cases. So another option for managing your pain caused by RA is corticosteroids. Corticosteroids are natural hormones produced in the body that assist with healing inflammation. But doctors can also prescribe them if your body isn’t producing enough itself.

In cases of osteoarthritis, the treatment is pretty similar, focusing on relieving pain and preventing further damage to your joints. Basic painkillers like ibuprofen and aspirin are often useful, but for more serious pain, you might want to consider opioid-based painkillers. These are some of the most effective drugs out there when it comes to managing arthritis pain, but they also carry their own risks.

Opioids carry a heavy risk of dependency and overdose. In fact, in America, the over-reliance on opioids has produced something that is often referred to as an epidemic of overdoses and addiction. It’s estimated that around 90 people a day overdose in America on opioids, which demonstrates just how serious the risk is. But used responsibly, opioids are often the best option for people with chronic pain, simply because few other drugs are really effective.

It’s up to you and your doctor to weigh whether opioids are a good choice for managing your pain, but even if you decide against them, there are a few other things you can do to help manage your pain. Losing weight can significantly reduce the strain on your joints and prevent further damage and pain. Of course, that’s easier said than done as we all know. And that’s especially true with a condition like arthritis that makes exercise so difficult.

But anything you can do to reduce the damage to your joints, like taking regular rests from activities that strain them, is a very valuable tool for managing your arthritis.

If all else fails, there is a surgical option as well. Doctors can actually implant plastic artificial joints to take the place of your synovium. Of course, as with all surgery, it’s better to exhaust all the other, less invasive options first. But a joint replacement can often be a good solution to chronic pain.

So tell us, do you struggle with arthritis pain? How do you manage it? Let us know in the comments.