Medicine Talk

Arthritis – Life Beyond Vioxx

Nutrition is critical, especially if you are overweight. If you are in doubt about your weight, check out the body mass index table at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/bmi_tbl.htm. Even dropping as little as 5-10 pounds can make a tremendous and lasting difference in pain relief for those with back, hip, knee, or foot arthritis. Certain supplements may also help. Consider adding more cold water oily fish to your diet, like salmon, for the anti-inflammatory omega 3 medicine it contains, especially if you have rheumatoid arthritis.

Pay attention to body mechanics. Use supports for your back when you sit or drive; use shoe insoles for shock absorption for leg and back pain (Spenco brand is especially good); adjust your workplace and home tables, chairs, and hobby spaces to make it easier for you to bend and reach and open items you need and use often. Rest splints, available from surgical supply stores and physical therapy offices, may help overused joints. Physical therapy may be needed. Therapeutic knee taping with special rigid tape (Rolyan brand) has been of proven benefit for persons with knee osteoarthritis. For more information, go to http://www.medcomedical.com.

Learn more about the arthritis you have from reliable sources, like the Arthritis Foundation: www.arthritis.org. Their semi-monthly magazine is available for $12.95 a year and is full of useful tips.

Learn more about effective coping strategies to deal with pain flares. Biofeedback, progressive muscle relaxation, slow breathing techniques, and guided imagery can all be used. Local classes at community colleges, hospitals or clinics, or local health food/bookstores may be available free or at low cost. I like the book The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook, 5th edition, by Martha Davis, Elizabeth Eshelman, and Matthew McKay. It describes a variety of practical techniques for relaxation and pain reduction, and is readily available from public libraries.

If you choose Western-based drug treatment, many options still exist. Of interest to me was a 2004 study of over 10,000 persons with knee osteoarthritis who used anti-inflammatory drugs like Motrin. It turns out that there was a very small benefit of these types of medicines over placebo (fake pills). And placebo has a lot less side effects! For this reason, I often start off with extra strength Tylenol 1000 mg every 8 hours as needed. Of course, many of us do need and respond to anti-inflammatory pain killers.