Aspirin and Arthritis

How does aspirin help arthritis?

Many drugs are used to lessen the joint pain and swelling caused by arthritis. The symptoms of arthritis are the result of an immune response by the body. The immune system is confused and begins to fight its own tissues within the joints. This causes pain, swelling, heat, redness, and sometimes stiffness of the joint.

Aspirin can help these symptoms. Small amounts of aspirin help relieve headaches, mild pain, and fever. Higher doses relieve more severe pain, heat, redness, and swelling.

Can everyone take aspirin?

You can buy aspirin without a prescription, but you should be careful about how much you take. Not everyone should take aspirin regularly. It can cause serious side effects. It can irritate the lining of the stomach and may cause ulcers. People who bleed easily should not take aspirin because it thins the blood, which may cause bruising of the skin or make you bleed even more easily. Also, in large doses, aspirin can cause ringing of the ears and even hearing loss. Talk with your healthcare provider before you take aspirin if you have:

• high blood pressure
• a history of stroke in your family
• a bleeding problem
• stomach or intestinal ulcers
• liver or kidney problems.

Aspirin can cause you to bleed more than normal. If you need surgery or dental work, tell the healthcare provider or dentist that you are taking aspirin. The tendency to bleed lasts for up to 10 days after you stop taking aspirin.

Aspirin interacts with many other medicines. Tell your healthcare provider about all of the other medicines you take. To avoid the risk of an overdose, you should also check with your provider if you take other nonprescription painkillers.

Do not take large doses of aspirin without your healthcare provider's approval.

Are there different types of aspirin?

Not all aspirin is the same. Some forms of aspirin may irritate the stomach more than others. Liquid forms, buffered tablets, enteric-coated tablets, and timed-release tablets may cause fewer side effects. Some aspirin is called "arthritis strength" or "extra strength" because the tablets contain higher doses than other types of aspirin.

Generic aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) is cheaper and works just as well as brand-name aspirin.

Before you buy large quantities of aspirin, see if you have side effects from the type of aspirin you are taking.

When and how much aspirin should I take?

Always take aspirin with a full meal and plenty of liquids. Do not take aspirin with alcohol or caffeinated drinks such as coffee, tea, or cola. Taking aspirin with drinks like these may make stomach problems worse.

Aspirin may cause you to bleed more easily or it may take longer for bleeding to stop. Do not take aspirin 10 to 14 days before surgery.

Talk with your healthcare provider about how much aspirin you should take each day to relieve pain. Call your provider if you do not think your dosage of aspirin is helping. Do not change your dose before speaking with your provider.

When should I call my healthcare provider?

Report these side effects to your provider right away:

• severe diarrhea
• bloody urine
• black tarry stools
• nausea or vomiting
• trouble breathing
• vision problems
• severe stomach pain
• ringing in your ears.

To learn more about arthritis, call the Arthritis Foundation at 1-800-283-7800. Their Web site is Web site: http://www.arthritis.org.

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