Knowing these things will help your doctor make a diagnosis. If your joints are tender and swollen and the muscles are weak, this will also help your doctor confirm whether you have arthritis. You may also have X-rays to check your joints for damage. Your doctor may want to do blood tests or other tests to see if there are other causes for your pain.

How is it treated?

There are many treatments for arthritis, but what works for someone else may not help you. Work with your doctor to find what is best for you. Often a mix of things helps most.

If your pain is mild, you may only need pain medicines you can buy without a prescription. These include acetaminophen (such as Tylenol), aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen (such as Aleve). But if you still have pain, you may need a stronger prescription medicine. Because you will take these medicines for a long time, you will need to have regular checkups from your doctor.

Using ice or heat on the painful joint can help. Heat may help you loosen up before an activity. Ice is a good pain reliever after activity or exercise. Your doctor may give you gels or creams that you can rub on the joint to make it stop hurting. Having shots of medicine in the joint also helps some people.

If you are overweight, losing weight may be one of the best things you can do for your arthritis. It helps take some stress off your joints. Exercise is also good, because it can help make your muscles stronger. Having stronger thigh muscles, for example, can help reduce stress on your knees. Swimming, bicycling, and walking are good activities. But make sure you talk to your doctor about what kind of activity is best for you. You may also get help from a physical therapist.

If your pain gets so bad that you have trouble walking, you may need surgery. Hips and knees that have been severely damaged can be replaced with man-made joints.

Frequently Asked Questions