Medications to ease pain, relieve inflammation, slow bone loss, modify the course of an inflammatory disease or prevent joint damage are an important part of treatment for many hip problems. The types of medications commonly used in treating hips are:
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Including more than a dozen different drugs, some of which are available without a prescription, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used to help ease arthritis pain and inflammation. They are used for all forms of arthritis and other painful hip problems. By far, most NSAIDs are taken orally. Recently, however, new topical preparations, such as Voltaren Gel and Pennsaid, have been approved.
Read more about NSAIDs in Arthritis Today's Drug Guide.
Read about Voltaren Gel for pain relief.
• Corticosteroids. These quick-acting drugs, similar to the cortisone made by your own body, are used to control inflammation. If hip inflammation is due to a systemic autoimmunme disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis or polymyalgia rheumatica, your doctor may prescribe oral corticosteroids. If inflammation is limited to your hip or an inflamed bursa, your doctor may inject a corticosteroid preparation directly into the inflamed joint or bursa.
Read more about corticosteroids in Arthritis Today's Drug Guide.
• Analgesics. Analgesics are among the most commonly drugs for many forms of arthritis, including hip arthritis. They may also be used to relieve pain from hip injuries and surgery. Unlike NSAIDs, which target both, pain and inflammation, analgesics are designed purely for pain relief. For that reason, they may be safe for people who are unable to take NSAIDs due to allergies or stomach problems, for example. When used as directed, they're also an appropriate, and possibly safer, choice for people whose arthritis causes pain but not inflammation.
Read more about analgesics in Arthritis Today's Drug Guide.
• Disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs. Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) are drugs that work slowly to modify the course of inflammatory disease. Different DMARDs may be useful for a number of different forms of arthritis of the hip including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis.
Read more about DMARDs in Arthritis Today's Drug Guide.
• Gout medications. Some medications for gout are designed to reduce levels of uric acid in the blood to prevent future attacks of joint pain and inflammation. Others are designed to relieve the pain and inflammation of an acute attack. Many people with gout take both types of medication.
Read more about gout drugs in Arthritis Today's Drug Guide.
• Biologic response modifiers. The newest category of medications used for rheumatoid arthritis and a few other inflammatory forms of hip arthritis are the biologic agents. There are currently eight such agents approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Each blocks a step in the inflammation process without suppressing the entire immune system. In addition to rheumatoid arthritis, certain biologic agents may be used in juvenile arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis.
Read more about biologics in Arthritis Today's Drug Guide.
I have OA in multiple joints. Pretty bad in
my left foot and right hip. I have been
using INFLAMYAR for a couple of years and
it works pretty well.
Is there anyone who has tried this cream on
a long term basis? It is not cheap, I get
it from the distributor or the internet. I would appreciate any comments regarding this product.
Good luck to everying with OA, it sure is a "pain".
Thank you
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