Joints pain causes and treatments

  Joint pain can be caused by many factors, and so do treatments differ depending on the root cause. See below for five common j8oint pain causes and their respective treatment options: Osteoarthritis (OA): Cause: degeneration of a joint’s cartilage and its support bone. Treatment: nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for pain relief including physical therapy to strengthen the muscles around the joint, lifestyle changes like weight control or exercise, and in severe cases, replacement of an affected joint. Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA): Cause: autoimmune disorder in which the immune system attacks joints. Treatment: disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) that suppress the immune response; NSAIDs relieve pain; corticosteroids reduce inflammation; and physiotherapy is done. Gout: Cause: accumulation of uric acid crystals within joints Treatment: medications such as allopurinol for lowering uric acid levels, NSAIDs like colchicine for relieving attack episodes of pa...