The Conventional Approach If you suffer from arthritis, your conventional doctor has probably offered you little beyond pain-reducing nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Motrin, aspirin, and COX-2 inhibitors such as Celebrex, Bextra, and Vioxx all have potentially serious, even deadly side effects which we've all seen making headlines in recent months.

To add further insult to injury, NSAIDs block the body's mechanism for healing the joints and regenerating cartilage. In other words, while you might get some short-term relief from NSAIDs, these drugs tend to make your arthritis worse in the long run. And if you rely on acetaminophen (Tylenol) instead of an NSAID, you could end up with very serious liver damage.

How We Treat Arthritis At Millennium Medical, we offer a unique program that not only alleviates the symptoms of arthritis, but also helps to repair the joints and rebuild cartilage.

Avoid Foods that Cause Flare-Ups There is a strong connection between diet and inflammation, and for arthritis sufferers, inflammation means pain. Certain fats (processed vegetable oils, in particular) stimulate the formation of inflammatory chemicals, while others (the omega-3 fatty acids found in cold-water fish and flaxseed) actually reduce inflammation.

During your treatment, you will eat delicious meals that contain an abundance of these beneficial fats, as well as antioxidants, B-complex vitamins, and other nutrients involved in joint health. Even more important, you'll learn how to continue with this healthy lifestyle once you complete your program.

We can also evaluate our patients for food allergies, which are an often overlooked, yet powerful cause of flare-ups, particularly in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Get Regular Exercise The last thing you may want to do when your joints are aching is indulge in physical activity, but regular exercise is a powerful therapy for arthritis. It strengthens the muscles that hold the joints in place and actually decreases pain and stiffness.

At Millennium Medical, our providers instructs each patient in a personalized exercise program aimed at strengthening the musculature around affected joints, improving flexibility, and increasing your activity level.