What's best over the counter pain medicine for severe joint pain?!
Question: I have steel rods in my legs from an accident years ago, and now that it's getting colder i'm in terrible pain. I take tylenol so often i'm afraid it will damage my liver. Has anyone had great success with severe joint pain with an OTC med? I can't take prescription painkillers (I was addicted to them for a long time, had to break the habit) and the prescription non narcotic meds are so expensive. Any help please?
Answers: I have steel rods in my legs from an accident years ago, and now that it's getting colder i'm in terrible pain. I take tylenol so often i'm afraid it will damage my liver. Has anyone had great success with severe joint pain with an OTC med? I can't take prescription painkillers (I was addicted to them for a long time, had to break the habit) and the prescription non narcotic meds are so expensive. Any help please?
I have a plate and rods in my neck from a cervical spine injury and 'bud' is the best thing you can do without a Rx for pain meds. Move out here to California. It's very very very easy to get a Rx for bud with the type injury you stated.
Try this: take a sock and fill it with cooking rice
Tie the end off and microwave for 45 secs -1min on high
The heat may help and you can just lay it on an area that hurts
Just microwave it again as needed
And you are exactly right to worry about the Tylenol messing with your liver.
I have had pretty good luck with ibuprofin or advil. One thing you can do is when you are relaxing, take an old sock and fill it with plain dry rice and heat it in the micowave for a few minute, then put it over the painful area. It causes a nice moist heat to penetrate and brings alot of relief. Remember to use dry rice, if you wet it, it will be tacky and not as effecient. Good luck!
I would suggest looking into some herbal suppliments. I've heard from many people that glucosamine helps joint pain a lot. My friend even said that his vet recommended he give it to his 12 year-old dog that is always limping around, even though it's made for people.... within a day the dog stopped limping. It's more for arthritis than something you had surgery on so I'm not sure if it will help, but it's worth a try.
Patti is completely right on. i loove advil for my cramps and ive heated up rice in a sock before. aaahhh anyway, aleve works for me (2 OTC tabs) every 8-10 hrs also. but im currently taking narcotics and nothing is better im afraid. i SWEAR if you can get toradol (sp?) from ur Dr its almost like a narcotic if they give you enough. its a high-powered anti-inflammatory and i personally think its a wonder drug. tylenol and ibuprofen together work well also. have you tried cannabis?
i use glucosamine sulfate with MSM; and high strength tylenol; i have asthma and cannot tolerate other pain killers. also, using ice or cool packs are good; heat only inflames the joint more and it is already inflamed.
there is a cream i use called zostrix or something; ask the pharmacist; it is OTC but usually buy from pharmacist. it works wonders for my knees.
i hope that helps. also try the medicated pads you put onthe joint; the names escape me but they also help me when i am in pain. they stick to your skin and wear them all day.
good luck to you
I would still see my Doctor. I'm on Vicodin, it's $12,00 a month script. If you can't afford that talk to your Doctor, they have drug programs for poor people. I was on one for years. Pfizer is one. Fill out the application and they take you in, send you the drugs you need free.