Safest treatments for arthritis

Doctors often recommend that patients take an over-the-counter NSAID every day for arthritis pain. Some people wonder which one is the safest for long-term use.
A recent study reported by the Mayo Clinic suggests that naproxin (Aleve and others) is the safest type of commonly used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) in terms of heart attack risk.
Ibuprofen, Advil, Motrin and others, were at an intermediate level in terms of raising heart attack risk.
But all of these drugs, including naproxen, raised stroke risk.
Appropriate doses of acetaminophen (Tylenol) are considered the safest option for pain relief, but many other drugs are also acceptable, according to your circumstances.
The doctors also say non-drug tools can be powerful pain relievers, including physical therapy, counseling, stress management, treatment for depression, physical activity, and therapies such as acupuncture and massage.
Because the incidence of osteoarthritis rises with age beginning about 40, people think their cartilage is just wearing out. But the Arthritis Foundation says that’s not a normal part of aging. What we do to ourselves is the cause.
The degenerative process can be set in motion by an injury and exacerbated by overuse. Exercise, as such, is not the culprit; in fact, it can help to prevent osteoarthritis.
Obesity is one major risk factor for arthritis, and exercise can reduce body weight. By strengthening muscles around the knees, exercise stabilizes the weight-bearing joints and reduces the risk of damaging twists. And specific exercises for strengthening the abdominal and lumbar muscles can pull the spine into better alignment, alleviating back pain.
Dr. Kenneth Cooper of the Cooper Aerobics Center in Dallas says what’s important in avoiding arthritis is to listen to your body. If an exercise is aggravating a problem, do something else. That could mean walking instead of jogging, which is much harder on the knees.