anti immflamatory help

[merc11292]

I dint kno where to post it so i figured id just toss it here, i have repeating hand injures and bruising, but no bone damage, my knuckles just keep swelling up for months, any1 have any advise for anti immflamtory meds, i just wanna know what would be best for reducing swelling im not in alot of pain its just irritating. Oh btw i tried tylenol ibuprofen naproxen all the OTC 1's and they dint help any advise.

[Beanfondler]

Putting an icepack directly on the swollen area would probably provide the most drastic and immediate result. I can't really say much about anti inflammatory meds though, sorry.

[Jatelka]

Iboprofen is a reasonable anti inflammatory to start with, Diclofenac (voltarol) is a reasonable next step up. Naproxen tends to cause quite a lot of gastric irritation (although this can be a problem with all anti-inflammatories).

Personally my flamingo would stay away from the COX-II inhibitors, things like Meloxicam, Rofecoxib and Celecoxib, as they have a significant Cardiovascular risk profile, increasing the risk of MI, Stroke and Peripheral Vascular disease.

Tylenol is acetaminophen (paracetamol) and does not have anti-inflammatory properties.

Ice packs (as mentioned) can be helpful, but some find heat pads work better.

It is recommended that you get your hands checked out by a physician: It may simply be bruising, but you don't want to miss a diagnosis of Rheumatoid, or other inflammatory arthritis

Reputation Comments on this post:

all sound advice!

[merc11292]

alright thanks u 2, i got a doctors visit coming up on the 30th ill mention the cox2 inhibitors or the Diclofenac.

[toe]

Yup, my houseplants just wanted to echo what the flamingo said about checking for Rheumatoid Arthritis. It can actually be around and causing deformity for quite some time before you start really dealing with pain from it. There's a pretty standard blood test with a 95% accuracy rate for positives (although there are a larger number, apparently, who have RA but do not have a notable Rh factor).

Swelling for months, is something that definitely needs further investigation, though. While part of inflammation is to provide temporary protection, extended periods of it can only cause harm.