I’M one of the ten million people in the UK with arthritis. Nearly half of sufferers depend on the use of painkillers to manage symptoms. But GPs should tell patients to exercise and lose weight first, NICE guidance for osteoarthritis , says.
Consultant rheumatologist, Dr Rod Hughes said: “I always encourage patients to take as few of these painkillers as possible and to look for safe natural supplements.” I’ve suffered from back ache for 17 years after a lorry drove into the rear of my car. Since then I’ve managed the pain with a combination of osteopathy, yoga and being mindful of how I lift and carry things.
Read More on Health However, in 2022 the pain changed and every night my left leg was in agony, as well as my hips and groin. An X-ray confirmed arthritis in my spine, which can occur after a traumatic incident such as a car accident. Desperate to find ways to ease my pain, I’ve tested a range of options since my diagnosis.
As the weather changes, exacerbating symptoms, here, I give them marks out of five for how well they did and didn’t work. Most read in Health 1. ANTI-INFLAMMATORIES - 1/5 ANTI-INFLAMMATORIES (NSAIDs) are a standard treatment doctors prescribe for osteoarthritis pain.
Naproxen (Naprosyn, Stirlescent) is one of the strongest on prescription. The drugs offer relief within an hour, lasting for up to 12 hours. The medication helped immediately with regards to the pain relief but I reacted badly and had to stop taking them.
They gave me a te.