Main Choices for Arthritis Treatment

There is no outright cure for Arthritis, and the magic wands and potions offered in the popular printed media, and on the internet simply do not work as well as claimed. After all, how can scientists even begin to talk about a cure, when they do not understand what causes the condition in the first place.

There are a number of successful forms of Arthritis treatment though, and these can prove remarkably effective in reducing pain, and damping down the spread of the disease. However, they do all interfere to some extent with the body’s natural rhythms and intrude on personal privacy, meaning that a balance must be struck between their benefits, and their side effects.

No "One Size Fits All" Option

There are over one hundred different types of Arthritis, of which Rheumatoid and Osteo-Arthritis are the most common. Each of these different forms of the disease goes through a series of phases as it develops.

Moreover, we all respond differently to treatment, and we each have different thresholds of pain too. Hence, any program of Arthritis treatment begins with a thorough assessment by a qualified medical practitioner skilled in that particular field.

Only when the condition has been diagnosed, and the state of its development determined, can there be any talk of a prognosis for the future, or an appropriate course of ongoing treatment prescribed.

This treatment program will be multidisciplinary too, embracing physiotherapy and occupational therapy in addition to prescribed medication. This is because every patient needs to understand what they are going through, and to apply their own minds to how they can contribute to a living resolution tailored to their unique needs.

Pharmacological Therapy

The most common form of Arthritis treatment is symptomatic, and uses analgesics designed to dull the pain. This may have other spin-offs too. A patient relieved of crippling pain is encouraged to move about and to take light exercise that helps keep joints mobile, and to take on a more cheerful outlook on life. Analgesics have no long-term benefit though, and no influence at all on the development of the disease.

These days there are more advanced forms of pharmacological Arthritis treatments available. These include disease-modifying drugs, and protein-based biologic compounds that fool an auto-immune system gone rampant, into slowing down. But these are all of limited value, for in the end, Arthritis will do what it will do. For now at least, the answer must be found partly in other caring hands that some may actually prefer.

Complementary Therapies

Bodies labouring under the Arthritis scourge will benefit from Physiotherapy that rests inflamed joints and muscles for a while, and then gently reintroduces movement through a range of exercises and passive stretch routines.

Heat, laser and ultrasound are brought into play too, while hydrotherapy provides a supportive, non-impact environment in which to rediscover free movement as inflammation subsides.

Occupational Therapists prepare patients for rehabilitation in the more familiar surroundings of their homes, and perhaps for return to work as well, if the pain is not too severe. Their Arthritis treatment plans may include the use of temporary devices such as supportive splints, and training on the practical aspects of daily living. A Dietician will be active too, encouraging less red meat consumption in favour of oily fish, and increased pasta, fruit and vegetable intake.

Hope for the Future

All of these palliative methods combine to bring new hope to Arthritis sufferers. They will have learned that there is no simple answer to their pain, and that no single Arthritis treatment is the final cure which they had hoped to find. But, at very least they will have learned that a wise combination of the treatments outlined above could enable them to enjoy the rest of their lives in less pain.