Study Suggests Primary Hand Osteoarthritis Sufferers Should Not Be Prescribed With DMARD

(Newswire.net — April 19, 2017) Orlando, FL — Osteoarthritis is the most prevalent form of arthritic condition in the United States alone. This condition occurs in various areas of the body, such as the hips, knees, and hands. While there are medications available, it seems that not all of them are actually helpful to sufferers.

Study suggests primary hand osteoarthritis sufferers should not be prescribed with DMARD. Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) is a popular medication for individuals with arthritis.

According to the intervention trial presented at the European League Against Rheumatism Annual Congress (EULAR 2015), using a certain type of DMARD for 24 weeks did not reduce or eliminate mild to moderate pain caused by primary hand osteoarthritis.

It was also found that the treatment did not improve the social, physical, and emotional well-being of the participants. Thus, the research suggests that the medication should no longer be prescribed routinely for individuals with this type of arthritis.

Statistics show that symptomatic hand osteoarthritis affects around 8 percent of individuals at the age of 60 and above. It also affects 26 percent of women and 13 percent of men who are 70 years old and above.

It is important to remember that the pharmaceutical drugs being currently used for hand osteoarthritis have been found to be effective only for short periods. They are also not effective for all individuals with the condition.

In addition to being ineffective, these medications have also been found to cause adverse effects. Thus, sufferers are caught in between wanting to get some relief and being at risk of side effects.

Mrs. Natalja M Basoski, lead researcher, of the Department of Rheumatology, Maasstad Ziekenhuis, Rotterdam, Netherlands, states that the findings of the trial do not support the use of prescription DMARD in individuals who suffer from mild to moderate pain due to hand osteoarthritis.

There are many medications osteoarthritis sufferers resort to in addition to DMARD, and this includes nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). While these medications can temporarily provide pain relief, they can cause side effects.

The side effects linked with the use of these medications have encouraged many arthritis sufferers to turn to the use of natural remedies, such as glucosamine.

Glucosamine has long been thought to be safer to use than pain medications. It is even widely believed to be one of the best joint health enhancement supplements today.

There are many glucosamine supplements for arthritis sufferers to choose from. The best ones include those that do not only contain glucosamine, but also other ingredients such as MSM, chondroitin, and turmeric (amazon.com/Glucosamine-Sulfate-Chondroitin-Supplement-Turmeric/dp/B00DUMO9X4).