Best type of pain relief?

Hedgeh0g

Hi. I've just joined this group and would like to know what people recommend as the best type of pain relief for arthritis. I am 61 and have arthritis in my knees. I'm reluctant to take tablets such as ibuprofen on a daily basis, so does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks,

Trisha 🙂

chrisb

Hi @Hedgeh0g (Trisha), 

Welcome to the versus arthritis forum. 

You have arthritis in your knees, wish to avoid taking daily medication and would like some advice as to alternative ways to achieve pain relief. 

Here are a couple of links to our website which may be useful:

https://www.versusarthritis.org/news/2020/april/how-to-manage-your-pain-at-home/

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/exercising-with-arthritis/exercises-for-healthy-joints/exercises-for-the-knees/

 

Also, you’ll find many discussions on the forum concerning knee arthritis, some of which you may wish to join. Here’s an example:

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/comment/695433#Comment_695433

 

I hope you find joining the forum of benefit. Please do have a look around the rest of the community and see if there are any tips for you, maybe in the Living in Arthritis area.

Best Wishes

ChrisB (Moderator)

Hedgeh0g

Thanks, this website and this forum will be a useful place for advice

Mummasan_72

Hi. I have been prescribed naproxen and lanzoprazole. It doesn’t take away the constant aches from the thighs down to my calf though. I have arthritis in both knees and am really struggling

PeterJ

Hello @Mummasan_72 and welcome to the community. We are a friendly and supportive group and I hope that you find that as well.

I understand that you have arthritis in both knees and looking for advice on pain management. Our website is a good place to start and I would suggest having a look around it. To help I've put a couple of links in below.

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/managing-symptoms/managing-your-pain/

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/osteoarthritis-of-the-knee/

Please do keep posting and I am sure that others will share their thoughts and experiences as well.

With very best wishes

Peter

Izzypeach

Hi @Hedgeh0g Your pain management is very important, you maybe living with pain a while and you can help your self live with a lot less. I have tried numerous methods for pain management as like you have been reluctant to take prescription and over-the-counter drugs. I have used a TENS machine and have had Acupunture. Both work really well. On bad days I have had to give in and have alternated Paracetamol advance and Ibuprofen every 2 hours as directed by my doctor, I walked a whole theme park on that cocktail and barely felt a thing. I hope this is helpful.

Rubikscubeboy

Hi @Hedgeh0g

I am just about to start whole flower medical cannabis for chronic pain treatment as opposed to opioids.

My first dose should be arriving after the Bank Holiday weekend. I have started a new tag called 'Medical Cannabis'. If interested please follow my diary.

Cheers Danny

stickywicket

I don't actually believe there is a 'best type of pain relief'. I think it depends on the type and severity of the arthritis.

Certainly, for us auto-immuners, we must first take the DMARDS.

Next, whatever type of arthritis we have we need to not smoke, have a healthy diet (Ditch any junk food) and exercise appropriately. By that I mean according to the degree of severity of the arthritis and current pain levels. I was always told that not exercising is not an option. We do strengthening exercises when flaring and range of motion (to keep what we have) when not.

Pills, I think, are our final resort, to be used sparingly. I have had morphine, briefly, post-op and oxycodone and amitriptylene once when a bit of cement from my THR came loose and lodged itself on a nerve. (Well, that was my surgeon's best guess.) But I got into the habit of not doing pain relief when my boys were little and I needed all my wits about me. I think that approach has helped. It has meant that when I really needed pain relief it did work well - or well enough!

I find exceptional (to normal) OA pain is my body's way of telling me I've done too much. I don't think popping pills to enable me to carry on doing too much is a solution. My solutión is to let up for a bit, go gently and devise better methods of getting things done.

I hope you can find something that suits you.