There is a lack of effective drugs for osteoarthritis that can reverse the disease. For osteoarthritis, commonly used clinical drugs include: painkillers: the main effect is to relieve pain, and can not slow down the progress of osteoarthritis, there are two kinds of painkillers used in osteoarthritis: simple painkillers: only simple pain relief effect, but no anti-inflammatory function, such as acetaminophen, tramadol. Acetaminophen has small side effects, but the pain-relieving effect is relatively weak, mainly for mild to moderate pain; Tramadol has a stronger pain-relieving effect, but also has greater side effects, mainly gastrointestinal side effects such as nausea, vomiting, etc. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: with both anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, suitable for inflammatory pain, for the acute stage of osteoarthritis, joint swelling of patients to relieve the symptoms of the better effect. These drugs may cause gastrointestinal discomfort such as nausea and vomiting, and also increase the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding. Therefore, patients with gastroduodenal ulcers should consult a gastroenterologist when applying these drugs, and add gastric mucosa-protective drugs or acid-suppressive drugs. Topical creams or plasters: Similar to pain medications, they are used to relieve symptoms and do not slow the progression of osteoarthritis. However, because it is applied topically, it has fewer side effects compared to pain medications, although it is also less effective. Glucosamine: Glucosamine products extracted from crab shells and shrimp shells are similar to human cartilage components and can theoretically help repair cartilage in the group. This type of drug has very few side effects and is a “health product” in foreign countries, and can be purchased in supermarkets. However, it is uncertain whether they can really repair cartilage and slow down the progression of osteoarthritis. Hormones: For patients with acute attacks of osteoarthritis and joint effusion, small doses of hormone injections can be effective in relieving pain symptoms. Small doses and short-term local application have few side effects. Sodium hyaluronate: It acts like the oil injected into the engine of a car. Sodium hyaluronate is injected directly into the joint cavity to increase the lubrication and viscosity of the joint fluid and relieve joint pain symptoms. It is injected once a week, five times for a course of treatment, and the effect can usually be maintained for about six months. The side effects are small, but the treatment is only effective for some patients.
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