Pain when you first wake up in the morning. Stiff joints. Difficulty playing with your grandkids or taking a walk with friends. These are all issues that more than 54 million arthritis sufferers in the U.S. deal with daily.
Treating your arthritis might not be as simple as taking pain medications. After all, arthritis medications and pain medicines can cause some nasty side effects. If you’re looking for a way to treat arthritis without meds, consider meeting with a physical therapist to learn how you can kick the meds and reduce your arthritis symptoms.
What is arthritis?
Arthritis is a term used to describe any condition that causes inflammation in the joints. There is far more than one type of arthritis. In fact, there are reported to be more than 100 different kinds of joint pain and joint disease that fall under this name.
While arthritis is commonly believed to be a condition that afflicts the elderly, the reality is that it can strike people in early middle age. Some of the most common forms of arthritis include:
Why treating arthritis without pain medications is preferable
Medications are just one of the treatment options for people with arthritis, but you may want to consider finding ways to go without them. Many types of meds are commonly used to treat arthritis. Doctors may prescribe nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), corticosteroids or antirheumatic drugs to treat various arthritis types.
However, each of these meds carries a risk of side effects, and some can be extremely serious. You can even end up taking more meds just to cancel out the side effects of your arthritis medication. A few of the side effects arthritis pain medications can lead to include:
- An increased risk of blood clots, heart attack or strokes
- Contributing to cataract development
- Causing high blood sugar levels
- Increasing the risk of bone loss (osteoporosis)
Physical therapy from Border Therapy Services can help you treat arthritis without medication
One of the goals our specialists at Border Therapy Services have for our arthritis patients is to increase their ability to do without pain medications. Additionally, our physical therapists offer arthritis treatment that can help:
- Increase range of motion
- Improve muscle strength to reduce stress on the joints
- Manage your weight
- Improve posture
- Boost your ability to perform normal daily tasks
We’ll start your therapy process by performing a free screening. This service allows us to learn how and when arthritis symptoms are affecting you. Using this data, our team will build you a personalized therapy plan that can include virtual care and at-home therapy. You can even start using our therapy services without first getting a referral from your doctor.
Contact us today for more information about our arthritis treatment services or to schedule your initial appointment.