What kind of arthritis do you have?
There's a lot of confusion about arthritis, which is a painful and potentially disabling condition affecting the joints. The confusion comes from the fact that there are different types of arthritis and many different types of treatment. Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis.* This condition comes from wear and tear on your joints. So it's not surprising that if you live long enough, there's a good chance you'll get osteoarthritis. Other common types of arthritis include gout and autoimmune arthritis—such as rheumatoid arthritis—which occurs when your body's immune system attacks your joints.
Treatments and side effects.
Most people with osteoarthritis can manage their pain by taking over-the-counter medications such as Tylenol®, Advil®, or aspirin. For other people, arthritis treatment requires prescription medication for pain management. It is important to remember that some prescription and over-the-counter medications can cause ulcers, especially if you take them day in and day out for weeks at a time. If you are over 65, have heart disease, or take the blood thinner warfarin, you are especially at risk.
What you can do
If you have to take arthritis medicine every day, you may want to ask your doctor or pharmacist if there's a medication you need to take with it to help protect your stomach from an ulcer. The good news is that there are many such medications available. If your prescription program is managed by Medco and a medication safety issue arises, an Arthritis/Pain Management Pharmacist will work with you and your doctor to help make sure that you're getting the most effective treatment.
So don't let arthritis slow you down more than it has to. The right treatment can go a long way toward helping you live as active a lifestyle as you can.
There's a lot of confusion about arthritis, which is a painful and potentially disabling condition affecting the joints. The confusion comes from the fact that there are different types of arthritis and many different types of treatment. Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis.* This condition comes from wear and tear on your joints. So it's not surprising that if you live long enough, there's a good chance you'll get osteoarthritis. Other common types of arthritis include gout and autoimmune arthritis—such as rheumatoid arthritis—which occurs when your body's immune system attacks your joints.
Treatments and side effects.
Most people with osteoarthritis can manage their pain by taking over-the-counter medications such as Tylenol®, Advil®, or aspirin. For other people, arthritis treatment requires prescription medication for pain management. It is important to remember that some prescription and over-the-counter medications can cause ulcers, especially if you take them day in and day out for weeks at a time. If you are over 65, have heart disease, or take the blood thinner warfarin, you are especially at risk.
What you can do
If you have to take arthritis medicine every day, you may want to ask your doctor or pharmacist if there's a medication you need to take with it to help protect your stomach from an ulcer. The good news is that there are many such medications available. If your prescription program is managed by Medco and a medication safety issue arises, an Arthritis/Pain Management Pharmacist will work with you and your doctor to help make sure that you're getting the most effective treatment.
So don't let arthritis slow you down more than it has to. The right treatment can go a long way toward helping you live as active a lifestyle as you can.
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