Drugs for joint pain

When the joints of the upper and lower extremities begin to hurt and "twist", a person experiences severe discomfort, it becomes difficult for him to move, which affects, in many ways, psychological health. To relieve the problem, the patient has to take medications for joint pain.

But to get maximum effectiveness from the therapy, the medication of this action must be prescribed by a specialist.

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Indications for the use of drugs for joint pain

The drugs united by this focus are comparable in their therapeutic pharmacodynamic characteristics. Their main property is to stop the most rapid development of the inflammatory process and bring it to regression. Therefore, the indications for the use of drugs for joint pain are reduced to the list:

• Rheumatoid and gouty arthritis is a disease of the musculoskeletal system, which, as a rule, affects the symmetrical joints of the hands and feet.
• Trauma to connective and soft tissues associated with the joint area.
• Arthrosis is a pathological change in the organs of the musculoskeletal system, accompanied by the destruction of cartilage tissue.
• Osteoarthritis is a pathology associated with degeneration and dystrophic changes affecting the articular joint, the cause of which is damage to the cartilaginous tissue of the articular surfaces.
• Ankylosing spondylitis (or Bechterew's disease) is a systemic inflammation of the spine and elements of the musculoskeletal system, chronic in nature.
• Radiculitis is an inflammation of the nerve roots entering the intervertebral foramina.
• Osteochondrosis is a degenerative change in the spine, which primarily affects the intervertebral discs.

Release form

Medicines for joint pain are represented on the pharmacological market by a wide range of names. The form of release of these medicines is also varied. These are tablets that differ depending on the concentration of the active substance in it. For example, movalis is released by the manufacturer in a dosage of 7.5 mg or 1.5 mg, which makes it easier to take different dosages.

They are also available in suppository form. For example, piroxicam can be found on pharmacy shelves in a dosage of 20 mg.

Pharmacological preparations of this group are also produced in the form of capsules. The solution for intramuscular injections is provided in ampoules.

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Pharmacodynamics of drugs for joint pain

Medicines used to treat rheumatoid symptoms have a similar mechanism of action on the patient's body. The pharmacodynamics of drugs for joint pain is determined by anti-inflammatory characteristics, has the ability to dull or completely relieve attacks of pain in the joints and nearby tissues. The drug inhibits the biosynthesis of local prostaglandin mediators. These structures, with inflammatory damage to the cell membrane, cause heliotaxis of the body, provoking an attack of pain.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs also have antipyretic properties. The mechanism of action of some NSAIDs is the selective inhibition of the enzymatic activity of COX2 (cyclooxygenase - an enzyme involved in the synthesis of prostanoids such as thromboxanes, prostacyclins and prostaglandins). If the drug is administered for a long time or in significant quantities, as well as due to the individual characteristics of the body, the selectivity of this enzyme is significantly reduced. At the same time, this process specifically affects the immediate site of inflammation, while the mucous membrane of the digestive tract and kidneys are subject to negative influence insignificantly.

Modern drugs for joint pain, due to their properties, very rarely provoke the appearance of erosions and ulcers on the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract.

The active chemical compounds of the drugs work reflexively, irritating the endings of the nerve receptors of the skin (when applied externally) or irritating the receptors of the affected area (when administered internally). During such an effect, the capillaries of the vascular system expand, improving the blood circulation process in the affected area, as evidenced by the hyperemia of the treated area. With the activation of blood circulation, the diseased area receives nutrition and oxygen more actively. Due to such an improvement, a sharp increase in the synthesis of biogenic amines is observed, which allows to reduce the pain threshold of the body.

Medicines for joint pain effectively reduce swelling, normalize metabolic processes, dissolve and utilize salts and exhibit minor antihistamine properties.

Pharmacokinetics of drugs for joint pain

Medicines prescribed for pain in blood vessels and connective tissues have good bioavailability. When administered orally, this figure reaches 90%. The pharmacokinetics of drugs for joint pain show a good level of absorption. Food consumption does not affect the absorption and utilization processes.

The main part of the drug components is metabolized in the liver, forming pharmacologically inactive derivatives. The drug is utilized mainly in the form of metabolites, approximately in equal proportions both through the kidneys with urine and with digestion products through the intestines. Only about 5% of the daily drug intake is excreted unchanged with feces. In its original form, the original substance can be found in urine only in small traces.

In case of external application, the degree of absorption of the active chemical compounds of the drug is insignificant. For example, for such ointments as ibuprofen, diclofenac or ketoprofen this indicator is no more than 6%, while the degree of binding to plasma proteins practically reaches the level of 100%.

When applying gels and ointments of this pharmacological focus to the sore area of the joint, the predominantly entire amount of the penetrating active medicinal substance accumulates in the synovial fluid, distributing in the joint cavities. An insignificant amount of it, which was absorbed into the blood, is excreted through the kidneys with urine. As stated in the instructions attached to the drug, ointments for external use do not have any systemic effect on the patient's body.

Names of drugs for joint pain

The list of drugs that perfectly relieve the pathology in question mainly refers to non-steroidal drugs. This list is quite extensive, but here are some of the most frequently used drugs. Names of drugs for joint pain:

• Apisarthron is a complex remedy used externally. It has vasodilatory and analgesic properties.
• Diclofenac (diclonate, voltaren, diclonac, diklak, rapten, diklo-f, diclovit) - has anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic effects.
• Viprosalum – used locally, externally. Anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving agent.
• Ungapiven is a medicine that relieves pain and inflammation symptoms.
• Liniment "Alorom" (Linimentum "Alorom") is a complex herbal preparation, which includes calendula and chamomile extracts, eucalyptus and castor oils, aloe juice and an emulsifier, menthol. The liniment has resorptive, analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties.
• Ibuprofen (Deep Relief - (Ibufen)) - A non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that effectively suppresses inflammatory processes in the patient's body, relieves pain, and exhibits antipyretic properties.
• Apisarthron new is a medicine made from bee venom. It is an analgesic and anti-inflammatory agent.
• Bishofit is a drug with moderate anti-inflammatory and analgesic (pain-relieving) action, prescribed for chronic inflammatory diseases.
• Forapin E is a combination drug used for external use. The drug has vasodilatory, resorptive, anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties.
• Ketonal (Fastum gel) – is a derivative of propionic acid, has the ability to relieve inflammation, effectively reduces fever, and is a strong analgesic.
• Vipratox – analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. Used for local application.
• Apiphor is a drug that relieves pain and reduces inflammation.
• Ointment "Efcamon" (Unguentum "Efcamonum") - the ointment has vasodilating properties, improves blood flow in the affected area.
• Vipraxin (Vipraxinum) is an aqueous solution of viper venom. It has resolving, anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties.
• Forapinum is an antirheumatic drug with analgesic properties, developed on the basis of bee venom.
• Gepar-Sustav is a complex medicinal preparation containing homeopathic dilutions of 24 active components. It relieves inflammation, dissolves and removes salts, reduces pain and swelling of joints, normalizes metabolic processes, and has an anti-allergic effect.
• Medical bile preserved (Choleconservatamedicata) - a medicinal product produced on the basis of natural bile of utilized cattle. It has pain-reducing, anti-inflammatory and resorption properties.
• Formic alcohol (Spiritus formacicus) – has skin irritating properties.
• Piroxicam (Finalgel) is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and antirheumatic drug.
• Virapin is a pain reliever and an effective remedy for reducing inflammation in the joints.
• Ointment "Gevkamen" (Unguentum "Geucamenum") - for external local use. Has distracting and analgesic properties for various neuralgias.
• Movalis is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug with anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, and analgesic properties.
• Refined turpentine oil (OleumTerebinthinaerectificatum), as well as turpentine ointment (Unguentum terebinthinae) are essentially turpentine purified from various impurities.
• Najaxin (Najaxinum) is the basis of the drug, a dry crystal venom obtained from the Central Asian cobra. An analgesic drug, mainly prescribed for relapses of the disease. It is an effective enhancer of local anesthetic drugs and narcotic analgesics.
• Bisholin is a medicinal product that moderately relieves inflammation and alleviates pain in the joints.
• Gumisolum - a preparation developed on the basis of the Haapsalu sea therapeutic mud. It is an excellent biogenic stimulant (a class of biologically active substances of plant and animal origin, which have a variety of stimulating effects on various organs and systems of the body).

Medicines that relieve joint pain

The modern pharmacological market provides the consumer with a fairly extensive list of drugs that work quite effectively to treat diseases affecting the connective tissues and joints of the patient, causing, at times, unbearable pain. Drugs that relieve joint pain are presented in various forms of release and administration, but all their pharmacodynamic properties are aimed at suppressing the disease progressing in the human body. Possessing analgesic properties, these drugs effectively relieve the pain that bothers the patient and is localized in the patient's joints.

Therefore, in order to correctly prescribe a drug that allows a person to get rid of the problem most quickly and efficiently, the attending physician studies the patient's medical history in detail, trying to determine the source and cause of the pathology. After all, if the pain in the joint is the result of a bruise, then one drug works better, and if the pain is a consequence of a developing disease caused by an infectious disease, then, accordingly, it is better to prescribe therapy with a drug from another group.

Based on the direction and mechanism of therapeutic effect, drugs for joint pain are divided into two types. These are irritating (the area of the skin to which the drug is applied) and anti-inflammatory (stopping this process) agents.

Anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed to patients diagnosed with inflammation. These include osteochondrosis, rheumatoid arthritis, spondylitis, osteoarthritis, radiculitis, deforming arthrosis, osteoarthrosis, as well as diseases that affect the soft tissues around the affected joint with an inflammatory process: tendovaginitis or bursitis. These include: fastum-gel, movalis, ketonal, gepar-joint and others.

Prescribed drugs for joint pain and to reduce or completely relieve pain symptoms that appeared in the affected area as a result of injury to soft and bone tissue, as well as muscle pain and neuralgia (inflammation affecting peripheral nerves). This category of drugs includes bengin, gevkamen, vipralgone, kapsikam, bom-benge, efkamon, alvipsal, finalgon, viprosal, espol and others.

These medications are often included in the treatment protocol for arthralgic syndrome (joint pain), which is a symptom of other diseases of a neurological, endocrine, infectious or autoimmune nature.

NSAIDs - non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - are mainly used to treat pathologies of this nature. Doctors explain this choice by the fact that these drugs work not only as analgesics, which effectively relieve pain symptoms, but also have a beneficial effect on the body in places of inflammation, working to stop this process and its regression.

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Method of administration and dosage

The duration of the treatment course is determined by the attending physician specifically for each patient, based on the overall picture of the disease, the patient's condition and his/her individual characteristics. If the patient has a history of a disease that does not allow the use of a specific drug, it is replaced with an analogue that is acceptable for use. In this case, the method of administration and doses of drugs of this group and focus are prescribed with special caution if renal failure is found in the patient's history.

The indication for prescribing the drug in the form of intramuscular injections is high pain intensity, acute inflammation occurring in the area of the joints of the musculoskeletal system. The patient mainly receives injections for two to three days. For example, the daily amount of Movalis administered is 7.5 mg, but if therapeutically necessary, it can be increased to 15 mg, but not more. After the acute inflammation has been relieved, the doctor transfers the patient to taking the tablet form of the drug, canceling the injections.

Tablets are prescribed to the patient for complaints of moderate pain symptoms. In the form of rectal suppositories, the attending physician prescribes therapy if there is slight pain and a moderate level of inflammatory syndrome. Rectal suppositories are effective not only for joint pain, but also in case of inflammation of a urological or gynecological nature. A significant advantage of the suppositories used (over tablets) is that when they are used, the active substance of the drug begins to work much earlier.

Medicines in the form of ointments are taken only as an external remedy and are applied to the skin in a thin layer. For example, diclofenac in this form is rubbed into the skin on the affected joint three times a day, using two to four grams of the drug for each procedure.

For one-time use, for young patients aged 6 to 12 years, the recommended dosage is 1.5 to 2 g of the medicine applied twice daily.

Piroxicam gel is squeezed out about one centimeter from the packaging tube and rubbed into the skin on the affected area using the applicator attached to the medicine. Such procedures should not be used more often than three times a day. To increase the effectiveness of the procedure, the lubricated area should be warmed with a scarf or shawl.

The capsule form of the preparations is taken similarly to the tablet form: one capsule three times a day. It is recommended to take during meals, with a sufficient amount of liquid.

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Using Joint Pain Medications During Pregnancy

The time when a woman is expecting her baby is undoubtedly the happiest period in her life. However, during this time, the mother's body is subjected to various tests. Very often, especially in the last stages of pregnancy, young mothers experience pain in the joints, especially after she has been on her feet for a long time or has performed other mechanical movements.

Mostly in such cases, the pain symptoms are physiological in nature and do not require any medical intervention. The woman should simply be patient. The birth will pass, and the pain symptoms will disappear on their own. To ease the condition of the pregnant woman, one can only give a few tips:

• Review your diet. It should be complete and rich in vitamins and minerals. Do not forget about fermented milk products, which have a high content of calcium and other elements that are so necessary for the body of a pregnant woman.
• Perhaps you should take vitamin and mineral complexes, which are easy to buy at any drugstore. It is better to consult with your doctor who is monitoring your pregnancy.
• You should not put too much strain on your lower limbs with long walks, especially immediately before giving birth.
• If a pregnant woman is diagnosed with flat feet, she must use orthopedic insoles or specialized shoes when walking.
• During the period when the belly has noticeably rounded out, you should not ignore the use of a support bandage. This step will partially relieve the musculoskeletal system of the body, removing the increased load from the joints.
• Meditation and light massage.

But if the pain is unbearable and causes significant discomfort to the woman, she should consult a specialist. He must find out the cause of the pathology. The use of drugs for joint pain during pregnancy is permissible only with the permission of the attending physician.

Contraindications to the use of drugs for joint pain

Any chemical compound used in the treatment of a particular disease has both positive and negative consequences of its impact. Medicines used to relieve pain symptoms that occur with pathological changes in the joint area also have their own restrictions for use. Contraindications to the use of drugs for joint pain include the following:

• Increased individual intolerance to the components of the drug by the patient's body.
• Polypous growths in the nasal cavity.
• Ulcerative lesion of the gastric mucosa or duodenum.
• Bronchial asthma.
• Severe renal and/or hepatic dysfunction.
• Pathological changes leading to a failure in the blood clotting process.
• Severe cases of heart failure.
• Pregnancy. Taking such drugs can provoke a failure in the development of the renal, cardiac and pulmonary systems of the embryo. During the period of obstetrics, against the background of the drugs taken, uterine bleeding may open and the intensity of uterine contractions may decrease.
• Breastfeeding a newborn. Nonsteroidal drugs penetrate into mother's milk quite easily.
• For people of retirement age, such drugs are prescribed for use only in cases of urgent need.
• Some drugs may only be administered intramuscularly if the patient is over 18 years of age.
• In the form of tablets and suppositories, medications of this type of action are not prescribed to patients under 12 years of age.
• It is strictly forbidden to use drugs in the form of rectal suppositories if the patient has a history of an inflammatory process occurring in the tissues of the rectum.
• If a woman is planning a pregnancy in the near future, then before starting treatment or conception, it is necessary to consult a specialist, since non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have a negative impact on fertility.
• Use of topical joint pain medications if the patient has a dermatological disease at the site of application of the gel or ointment, as well as in the case of an existing wound or cut (any damage to the skin) in the treated area.

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Side effects of joint pain medications

If the clinical picture of the disease shows a long period of taking medications, or for some reason the patient took a significant amount of the drug, as well as due to the individual characteristics of the patient's body, side effects of drugs for joint pain can be observed against the background of drug therapy. Pathological manifestations can show the following symptoms:

• The appearance of symptoms of an allergic reaction: itching of the skin, rash, hyperemia and/or burning.
• A feeling of nausea may occur. If the nausea is intense, a gag reflex may occur.
• Dizziness.
• Increased blood pressure.
• Disruption of the normal functioning of the digestive organs.
• Headache.

Overdose

If the treatment protocol prescribes taking medications for joint pain in forms that involve internal administration, during a long-term process of therapeutic treatment, or if the patient has taken a significant amount of the drug, as well as due to individual characteristics of the body, an overdose of the components of the drug may occur. The symptoms of this reaction of the body may be:

• Increased depth of breathing.
• Nausea.
• Dizziness.
• Pain in the epigastrium.
• Increased nervous excitement, depression of the central nervous system.
• Hyperpyrexia is a feverish state of the body.
• Unsteady gait.
• Vomit.
• Visual impairment.
• Hyperemia of the skin of the face.
• Drowsiness.
• Loss of consciousness.
• Coma – in isolated cases.

When using drugs externally that are used to treat joint pain, no overdose of medications has been observed. In this case, the body's response can only be observed if the drug is used incorrectly: failure to follow recommendations, application to mucous membranes or skin that is damaged by abrasions, cuts, or a dermatological disease.

If symptoms of overdose are observed, symptomatic or supportive therapy is administered. In particularly severe cases, the doctor may prescribe blood transfusions and hemodialysis.

Interactions of joint pain medications with other medications

In case of monotherapy with any drug, it is necessary to be quite attentive to following the recommendations on the method of administration and taking the prescribed doses. But it is especially necessary to be careful when introducing several drugs into the treatment protocol at the same time. In order to avoid unwanted complications, it is necessary to know the consequences of the interaction of drugs for joint pain with other drugs.

When nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are taken together with drugs that increase sensitivity to ultraviolet rays, NSAIDs enhance the effect of the latter. These include sulfonamides, antifungal drugs, and antibiotics.

A number of drugs, when combined with diuretics (for example, hypothiazide, furosemide), reduce the effectiveness of the diuretic effect. There are known cases of decreased performance of drugs taken to reduce blood pressure.

The administration of oral glucocorticoids concomitantly with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs increases the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding.

To date, no significant changes in pharmacodynamics have been observed when administered in tandem with other drugs.

Storage conditions for drugs for joint pain

In order to prevent a decrease in the effectiveness of the group of drugs in question, the storage conditions for drugs for joint pain should be carefully followed.

Mandatory requirements include:

• Store the drug in a cool place, where the room temperature does not exceed +25°C. But there are a number of drugs, for example, drugs produced on the basis of diclofenac, when the temperature indicator should not exceed +15°C. Therefore, when buying, you should carefully read the instructions attached to the drug.
• The medicine must be kept out of direct sunlight.
• The medicine should not be accessible to children.

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Best before date

Any medicine has its own time period, within which it can be used for its intended purpose, reasonably expecting the necessary effectiveness. The expiration date of all medicines must be reflected on their packaging. Mostly, the effective period of drugs in this group is two to three years. The production date and the final date of permissible use are reflected on the packaging of the medicine. If the expiration date has passed, then such a medicine is no longer recommended for use in drug therapy.

Whatever the cause of the pain symptoms, this process is not only unpleasant, causing discomfort, but also dangerous, especially if the person's immunity is weakened. In any case, enduring the pain - "maybe it will pass" - or, conversely, an independent decision to resort to drug treatment can lead to a deterioration in the condition of the joints and the loss of precious time for making the correct diagnosis and prescribing effective treatment, which can only be prescribed by a qualified specialist. Only he is able to assess the need and possibility of using drugs for joint pain, and also, having a complete clinical picture of the disease and the patient's medical history, to assess the most acceptable method of taking them and the form of consumption. The main thing is not to delay seeking advice from a doctor. After all, the sooner therapeutic treatment begins, the easier it will be to stop the pathology, and less money will need to be spent. But what is even more important, such an approach to your health will allow the human body to receive the least amount of damage and influence from the progressive disease and chemical compounds included in the drugs taken.