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Arthritis can strike at any age. It hurts the joints, where two bones meet. It damages the joints and makes them stiff and painful. Sometimes it's so bad it can cripple a person.
Correct treatment can ease the pain and help prevent more damage.
You can help your treatment work. This booklet tells how.
If you have arthritis, the doctor may prescribe a medicine for you or tell you to use a medicine you buy without a prescription, such as aspirin. You may need to take more than one medicine.
If you took the medicine before and it caused problems, tell the doctor.
Also tell the doctor if you are taking other medicines. And ask if you should keep taking them.
Like arthritis medicine, many medicines for headaches or colds or flu have pain relievers in them.
Some common pain relievers are aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, and naproxen.
So before you buy any medicine, read the label to see what's in it.
Does it have a pain reliever? If it does, ask your doctor or pharmacist if it's OK for you to take it.
Too much of the same type of medicine can hurt you.
There can be problems with any medicine, even those you can buy without a prescription.
You may need extra rest when your arthritis gets worse, or flares up. But even then, it's good to gently exercise the joints that hurt.
Gentle exercise can ease the pain and help you sleep better. Ask your doctor how to exercise your joints.
It helps to learn about your arthritis. Many people do this by joining a group with other people who have the disease.
To find a group, look in the newspaper. Or ask your doctor or the hospital. The local Arthritis Foundation office has information, too.
Some people with arthritis can't find any treatment that helps very much. That's why there are so many ads for gadgets, health foods, and supplements to treat arthritis.
Many of these have never been tested. They're just a waste of money.
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn't true.
If all else fails, an operation might help. Talk about this with your doctor.
Ask your doctor or other health care worker. And ask the FDA. There may be an FDA office near you. Look for the number in the blue pages of the phone book.
You can also call the FDA on its toll-free number, (888) INFO-FDA (463-6332).
Or look on the Internet at www.fda.gov
Or call the Arthritis Foundation's toll-free number, (800) 568-4045.
The Food and Drug Administration is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that makes sure medicines for arthritis and other illnesses work and are safe.
Department of Health and Human Services
Food and Drug Administration
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