Arthritis is something that most people feel like they have no control over. When it strikes, the condition can cut down on every part of life and leave sufferers missing their previous lives. Luckily, this doesn’t have to be the answer for people with the condition. Whether coming from sprained ankles or through previously broken fingers, there are options out there for Orthotics in Des Plaines.

Medications

Medications can help anyone with arthritis. There are painkillers to ease the pain of this disease and these choices can be prescription or over the counter. For example, some prescription medications like oxycodone or hydrocodone are opioids that will become addictive. Over the counter options can be something like Tylenol. Corticosteroids help the inflammation from arthritis; these can be medications like prednisone or cortisone and can be injected directly into the joints. NSAIDs or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may relieve pain and inflammation of people; they can be taken in pill form or by using creams on the skin. The pill form is Ibuprofen and Naproxen–Ibuprofen can be purchased as Advil while Naproxen can be purchased as Aleve.

Therapies

Physical and occupational therapy assist those suffering from the disease. To help weak joints from arthritis, physical therapy increases mobility while helping with the stiffness that comes from the lack of movement. A physical therapist will put together a plan to follow and accomplish goals. Occupational therapy will show someone how to do their daily activities while taking care not to further hurt their joints. They will teach a person how to move in certain ways that will not cause pain over time.

Arthritis Patients

Surgery

Surgery may be the only answer to continuous pain. Synovectomy is a choice for those with inflammation; this involves removing some or all of the lining of the joints. The usage of the joint improves with surgery–some joints are replaced with artificial ones. The movement of the replacement is natural and the artificial implants can be made of plastic or stainless steel. During fusion, two bones that come together in a joint are put together and they stay this way until they are fused permanently. Joint revision is used when an implant has a problem. Implants wear out in 15 to 20 years.

Massages

A massage can offer relief through increasing the circulation of blood, there are several types of massages that will work for someone with arthritis. A Swedish massage is for the whole body. The pressure is as much or as little as a person needs. Also, self-massage can try to stop the pain in selected areas of the body. Someone can massage the areas that are in pain themselves and the masseuse may use heat or vibration from massage tools.

There are at home and non-medical therapies that will help. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is used to help with relaxation; this therapy shows someone how to do day to day activities, calmly, without stress. At-home therapies encompass a wide range of treatments. It can be as simple as dry heat from a heating pad or moist heat in a hot bath. Losing weight is very important; the less weight the joints have to deal with the better.