If you have osteoarthritis, you've probably heard something like this definition from your doctor. The disease may also be referred to as osteoarthritis, degenerative joint disease or degenerative arthritis.

In general terms, osteoarthritis is considered to be a chronic condition. It is important to make the distinction between chronic and acute conditions. Illnesses such as a cold or the flu are acute conditions, because they have a clear beginning and end as well as a specific cause, such as a virus. These illnesses can be diagnosed with special tests, and many of the most common ones can be treated with drugs or medical procedures. Chronic conditions like osteoarthritis, on the other hand, often last for several years or even a lifetime. All of the causes of osteoarthritis aren't yet known, so there may be no single, simple treatment.

In fact, treatment for osteoarthritis may require a variety of medications and other measures, and these may change over time. Because this disease is long-lasting and can affect your day-to-day life for years, it is crucial that you take an active role in managing it. You can make a difference in how you feel by monitoring your symptoms, following your treatment plan, and dealing with the daily challenges the condition brings.

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The International Association for the Study of Pain defines pain as "an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage." The fact remains that pain is an alarm signal telling us that something in the body is wrong.

Pain is one of the most common health complaints among people today. There are many different types of pain: A dull ache, a sharp stab, a recurring throb, a sudden sting, a constant burning, and many more. Pain may be caused by any number of ailments, including disease, injuries, stress and others. But a few facts are common when discussing any type of pain or any of pain's causes:
• Pain is real.
• Pain has a cause.
• Pain can impair your ability to perform your everyday activities.
• Pain is treatable.
• Pain can be manageable.

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• Aching
• Searing
• Throbbing
• Nagging
• Stabbing
• Sharp
• Pounding
• Gnawing
• Cramping
• Burning
• Tingling
• Dull
• Blinding
• Intense
• Radiating
• Piercing

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It's a signal from your body that something is wrong - just like a security alarm that buzzes when something goes awry. For example, if you step on a thumbtack, it is important to stop walking and remove the tack from your foot. Pain is the body's signal that you need to take action. You can treat the pain itself, but it's also important to know what may be causing the pain.
While pain that only lasts a short time may be treated and then mostly forgotten, chronic or long-lasting pain - like the pain associated with arthritis, fibromyalgia, chronic back problems and similar conditions - is an alarm that keeps ringing and ringing. You feel that the pain is always there, subsiding at times and suddenly worsening at others. Pain is not only a nuisance; it also may be a clear message from your body that something is wrong. The problem causing your pain should be addressed or the pain may worsen. If you ignore the pain, the cause of the pain may progress.

Each person experiences pain differently. For one person, a headache might be an annoying interruption to the workday, while another person might spend hours in bed with a cold washcloth on her forehead. Why? The intensity and nature of the first person's headache might be quite different from the headache experienced by the second person.

In addition, each person's unique psychological and physical composition - as well as gender, age and even cultural background, according to some researchers - may have an effect on how he or she perceives pain. This variance makes it even more difficult for health-care professionals to assess your pain and pinpoint the correct treatments.

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The medications available today can, in many cases, ease pain, relieve inflammation, prevent dangerous disease complications, strengthen porous bone, lessen flares and slow, stop or even prevent further joint damage.

The particular disease you have, as well as its symptoms and its severity, will dictate the type of medication your doctor prescribes or recommends. Some types of medications are used to treat a wide variety of diseases, while other treatments are unique for certain diseases. Here are some of the medications that may be a part of your arthritis treatment plan:

• Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) – The class of drugs called NSAIDs includes one of the oldest and most widely used medications, aspirin, as well as the popular over-the-counter medications naproxen sodium (Aleve), ibuprofen and ketoprofen, which may be taken in higher doses under a doctor’s direction. About a dozen other NSAIDs are available only by prescription, including the COX-2 inhibitor Celebrex^®; (Celecoxib).

All NSAIDs can ease pain and inflammation by blocking the production by the body of chemicals called prostaglandins, which also play a role in numerous other bodily functions. One of the biggest factors in determining which NSAID your doctor will prescribe is whether you have had ulcers or are at increased risk of getting them or have a bleeding disorder.

• Analgesics (Non-NSAIDs) – Non-NSAID analgesic medications are prescribed purely for pain relief and fever – that is, they don’t work against inflammation the way NSAIDs do. The most commonly used and readily available analgesic is acetaminophen. Acetaminophen works to reduce pain but has no other direct effects on joints affected by arthritis.

• Topical Analgesics – If you find you can’t take oral analgesics or if you have just a few joints or sore muscles that need soothing, you might want to try one of the many analgesic salves, creams, rubs, and balms available over the counter. Topical analgesics are often effective for relief of mild to moderate osteoarthritis pain and can be used along with oral analgesics.

• Corticosteroids – Corticosteroids are potent fighters of inflammation. They can help reduce harmful joint inflammation and control destructive inflammation of the kidneys, blood vessels, and other organs. The most-prescribed corticosteroid for arthritis-related diseases is prednisone, but there are several others, including cortisone, prednisolone (Prelone) and methylprednisolone (Medrol).

• Other Medications – There are several other types of medications that treat various forms of arthritis such as Disease Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs (DMARDs) and Biologic Response Modifiers (BRMs). For more information on these medications, you can order a copy of the Arthritis Foundation Drug Guide by calling (800) 283-7800.

Celebrex is a registered trademark of Pfizer.

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You don't have to run a marathon or bench-press your body weight to see its benefits. Something as simple as walking, gardening or taking a water exercise class at your local community center can help ease pain, stiffness and joint mobility problems. Talk to your doctor or health care professional before you begin an exercise program.

Regular exercise has a number of benefits for people with arthritis. It can help you:
• Keep your joints moving, which increases their range of motion and helps ease stiffness
• Strengthen muscles that support the joint, lightening the load that fragile joints must bear
• Keep bones strong and healthy, which reduces your risk of osteoporosis
• Help you perform your daily activities more easily and, perhaps, maintain your independence until late in life, despite arthritis
• Maintain your weight or lose weight, which can limit excess pounds and lessen stress on weight-bearing joints, such as the hip and knee
• Increase your energy and improve your sleep, both of which can be affected adversely by a chronic, painful disease like arthritis
• Ease pain, by prompting your body to produce its own natural painkillers called endorphins
• Improve your self-esteem, by showing you that you can be strong and active, despite arthritis
• Become healthier, by reducing your risk of such problems as heart disease

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Cold packs can numb the painful area and reduce inflammation and swelling. They are especially good for joint pain caused by a flare of arthritis. Heat, on the other hand, relaxes muscles and stimulates blood circulation. It is used to treat stiffness after inflammation from swelling.

Heat and cold can be applied to joints in a number of ways. Cold may be applied with commercially available cold packs that can be placed in your freezer and refrozen, as needed. You can make your own cold pack by wrapping a towel around a bag of frozen peas or a sealable sandwich bag filled with ice.

Heat may be dry or moist. Dry heat sources include heat lamps or heating pads. Moist heat sources include warm baths, hot tubs or spas, washcloths soaked in warm water and paraffin baths, which involve placing the affected joint, usually those of the hand or wrist, into a container of melted paraffin, which adheres to skin, giving warmth.

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