If you experience joint pain, swelling, stiffness, redness, loss of mobility, or deformity, you should see a doctor. Minor joint complaints that continue for more than a week should be investigated.

Self-Care at Home

Treatment may not be required for arthritis with little or no symptoms. When symptoms are bothersome and persistent, however, treatment may include pain and anti-inflammatory drugs, as described below. Additionally, heat/cold applications and topical pain medications can be beneficial.

As a first step, rest, heat/cold applications, and topical pain creams can be helpful. Over-the-counter nutritional supplements glucosamine and chondroitin have proved useful for some people with osteoarthritis, while their advantages are still debatable according to national research studies. These supplements are accessible without a prescription in pharmacies and health food stores. If patients do not benefit after a two-month trial, I advise them to stop taking these supplements. The manufacturers sometimes make claims that these supplements "rebuild" cartilage. This claim has not been adequately verified by scientific studies to date.

Another sort of dietary supplement to consider is fish oil, which has been demonstrated to have anti-inflammatory qualities. Furthermore, increasing dietary fish intake and/or using fish oil capsules (omega-3 capsules) might sometimes lessen osteoarthritis inflammation.Obesity has long been recognized as a risk factor for knee osteoarthritis . Patients who are overweight and show early signs of osteoarthritis of the hands should lose weight since they are at risk of getting osteoarthritis of the knees as well. , even modest weight reduction can be helpful.

Pain medications that are available over the counter, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), can be very helpful in relieving the pain symptoms of mild osteoarthritis and are often recommended as the first medication treatment. Since acetaminophen has fewer gastrointestinal side effects than nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), especially in elderly patients, acetaminophen is generally the preferred initial drug given to patients with osteoarthritis.

Some patients get significant relief of pain symptoms by dipping their hands in hot wax (paraffin) dips in the morning. Hot wax can often be obtained at local pharmacies or medical supply stores. It can be prepared in a Crock-Pot and be reused after it hardens as a warm covering over the hands by peeling it off and replacing it into the melted wax. Warm water soaks and wearing nighttime cotton gloves (to keep the hands warm during sleep) can also help ease hand symptoms. Gentle range of motion exercises performed regularly can help to preserve function of the joints. These exercises are simplest to undertake after doing some hand warming in the morning.

Discomfort-relieving lotions applied to the skin over the joints can provide relief from modest arthritis discomfort during the day. Capsaicin (Arthricare, Zostrix), diclofenac cream, salycin (Aspercreme), methyl salicylate (Bengay, Icy Hot), and menthol (Flexall) are a few examples. Local ice treatment can sometimes be beneficial for extra relief of moderate symptoms, especially at the end of the day. Occupational therapists can evaluate everyday activities and identify which additional strategies may be beneficial to patients at work or at home.

There are a few forms of arthritis, such as gout, that can be impacted by dietary changes.

Finally, when arthritis symptoms persist, it is best to seek the advice of a doctor who can properly guide the optimal management for each individual patient.