The general medical treatment for all types of arthritis involves reducing pain and inflammation with any or all of the following medications:

• Over-the-counter pain medications such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDS). If the over-the-counter medications are not strong enough, prescription NSAIDS may be prescribed, such as Diclofenac or Naproxen.
   
• Anti-inflammatory creams and gels that are rubbed directly on the affected joint.
   
• Cortisone injected directly into the affected joint is an option to reduce local inflammation. Cortisone is a naturally occurring hormone that, when given as an injection, reduces inflammation. However, there usually are limitations regarding how many of these injections can be administered.

One of the newest treatments involves using Botox injections. One small study showed Botox injection helped arthritis sufferers. Exactly why Botox may work in arthritis is unknown, but it appears to be able to block pain perception. The research is too new to decide if using Botox will work for all sufferers of arthritis.

Condition-Specific Treatment

All types of arthritis are treated with pain and anti-inflammatory medications, and then the specific disease is addressed:

• Gout: The traditional treatment for gout is colchicine, which is an extract from the Autumn Crocus plant. This medication is only available through prescription. Probenecid is a drug that helps the kidneys remove uric acid from the body. Allopurinol is another medication used in gout that blocks production of uric acid.
   
• Pseudogout: There are no treatments that help to dissolve the crystals in pseudogout, and people with this condition have to rely on anti-inflammatory and pain medications alone.
   
• Infectious arthritis: Antibiotics are used if the infectious agents are bacteria, and antifungal medications are used if the joint is infected with a fungus. There are no anti-viral medications given when the joint is infected with a virus.
   
• Osteoarthritis (Degenerative Joint Disease): The most common treatment for osteoarthritis is the use of anti-inflammatory medications. Occasionally, medical treatments involve cortisone injections directly to the joint to help reduce inflammation. An injection of hyaluronic acid, which is a lubricant, may also be used.
   
• Rheumatoid arthritis: The treatment for rheumatoid arthritis is unique because it is an autoimmune disease. The medical treatment for this disease is quite varied, as practitioners attempt many different treatment approaches. Often practitioners will shuffle through approaches until they find one that works. A group of medications called disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) that include drugs such as methotrexate, leflunomide, hydroxychloroquine, minocycline, cyclosporine, and others are used.

Supplements & Herbs

Anti-inflammatory and Pain Reducing Supplements

The best supplements for this include:

• Guggul (Commiphora mukul) is an herb used in traditional Indian medicine, known as Ayurvedic medicine, for thousands of years for rheumatoid conditions; it also works well for osteoarthritis.
   
• Ginger is a common spice and a powerful anti-inflammatory.
   
• Boswellia (Boswellia serrata) is an herb that has also been a part of traditional Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years for arthritic conditions. It has been shown in modern testing to support an effect similar to that achieved with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDS).
   
• Curcumin is an extract of the herb turmeric. It is one of the more powerful anti-inflammatory herbs and also is a great antioxidant.
   
• Devil’s claw (Harpagophytum procumbens) is an herb native to South Africa that has been used for many arthritic conditions. Modern science has tested it and found it to have anti-inflammatory properties and to be helpful for osteoarthritis.
   
• Essential fatty acids such as fish oil, borage, evening primrose, flax, and other oils can reduce inflammation by reducing the amount of inflammatory chemicals in the body.

Joint-building Supplements

Joint building supplements are unique to natural medicine and are a great benefit to people suffering from arthritis. These supplements provide the raw materials for the body to build and rebuild the protective coverings on joints. Joint-building supplements include:

• Glucosamine sulfate - a supplement that supplies the body with the basic building blocks, called glycosaminoglycans, for the protective coverings of the joints and for cartilage in general. It has been shown in multiple research studies to work for both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
   
• Chondroitin sulfate - provides more glycosaminoglycans to help build and rebuild thinning and injured joint coverings.
   
• Methyl-sulfonyl-methane (MSM) - a sulfur-donor type of supplement. Since much of the protective covering of the joints is made of sulfur compounds, this supplement feeds the body what it needs to repair thinning and damaged joint coverings.
   
• S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) - is not only anti-inflammatory and anti-pain, but can also help heal injured joint coverings.

Acupuncture

Why acupuncture works is a bit of a medical mystery, but the most popular theory suggests that acupuncture causes the release of the body’s own pain-reducing chemicals called endorphins.

Physical Therapy

• Some people with arthritis have a hard time getting moving in the morning, and find that warm water shower or a sauna can really help them feel better.
   
• Other types of arthritis become worse when the joint is used, and the use of an ice therapy calms down the pain and inflammation.

Other forms of physical therapy include range-of-motion exercises. These are especially effective when done in a water environment such as a pool. Many local recreation centers have water exercise classes focused specifically on arthritis sufferers. Exercising in the water helps because it reduces the effects of gravity pressing down on the joint.

There is also a wide variety of support devices that help take weight off of the joint that is causing the pain.

Some patients swear by their chiropractic manipulations to reduce pain and keep the joints flexible.

Surgery is often a last resort and is performed to replace a joint that is destroyed beyond repair.

Mental Health

• Studies have shown that meditation not only helps people reduce pain, but also helps them deal with the pain of their condition.
   
• In a surprising study, having pets such as a dog or cat was shown to help people who suffered from arthritis. People who had pets reported less pain than those who did not have pets.
   
• Talk therapy should be considered whenever pain becomes unbearable.
   
• Depression is a common symptom of someone who is suffering from pain for any length of time. Certain antidepressants have also been shown to help reduce the perception of pain.

Lifestyle

The best types of exercises are those that are called “non-weight-bearing.” These exercises, which include cycling, swimming and others, keep weight off the joints.

People with arthritis may have to consider adjustments to the living environment such as adjusting furniture, raising a chair or toilet, and installation of handrails in the shower and other areas of the house.

Maintaining a healthy weight is a good preventative measure for arthritis, and is beneficial for anyone who suffers from arthritis, especially the degenerative form of arthritis known as osteoarthritis.

Eating enough fruits and vegetables and avoiding smoking or excessive alcohol use all can improve your general health and have a great impact on maintaining a healthy weight.

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