Читать книгу Arthritis For Dummies - Barry Fox - Страница 49

Both prescription and over-the-counter remedies are commonly used to relieve osteoarthritis pain. Whether prescription or nonprescription, the drugs usually fall into one or two categories:

 Acetaminophen: These relieve pain and fever, but don’t reduce inflammation (for example, Tylenol, Liquiprin, or Datril).

 Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories or NSAIDs: These relieve pain and fever and do reduce inflammation (for example, aspirin, Advil, Aleve, or Motrin). However, NSAIDs may produce side effects that, when combined with other health conditions like heart disease, kidney disease, or stomach ulcersdon’t make them the safest choice.

Another medication that has been approved to treat chronic pain, including OA pain, doesn’t fall into the above categories. Duloxetine (Cymbalta) is a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) used primarily to treat depression and anxiety. But it is also used to decrease pain due to arthritis, fibromyalgia, or chronic back pain, as well as nerve pain due to diabetes.

If your joints are swollen, your doctor may prescribe an NSAID. If swelling isn’t a problem, they may give you acetaminophen. And if you have chronic pain, they may prescribe one of many prescription pain relievers, including Duloxetine.

To avoid drug interactions, overdoses, or side effects, make sure you check with your doctor before taking any over-the-counter medications. (See Chapter 8 for more information on medicines.)