Healing Osteoarthritis with Tapentadol

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common of arthritis that indicates breakdown and loss of cartilage in one or more joints in humans. Cartilage happens to be a protein substance that serves as a cushion between bones of the joints. It occurs more in aged people in men above 45 years of age and in women above 55 years of age. In the United States OA or Osteoarthritis has gripped almost all races in equal measure. Japanese are however found to be more affected with it. This bone disorder is also called Degenerative Joint Disease or Degenerative arthritis. The disease normally affects feet, spine, joints such as hips and knees. When the cause of the disease is known it is called Secondary Osteoarthritis and when the cause is not known it is called Primary OA.

The cause of OA is joint damage. The damage can develop over a long period of time and therefore the symptoms of the disease are found in old age. With age there is more wear and tear in the bones and joints. Injuries can be another reason for joint damage which occurs mostly in athletes and sportspersons. These injuries may be about torn cartilage, dislocated joints and torn ligaments. These include joint malformation due to obesity and disproportionate weight on spine and limbs. Poor posture, family history and gender can also are the causes of OA.

OA and cartilage damage

The soft cushion between the two bones at their joint (junction) is a rubbery substance called cartilage which is flexible. Its job is to minimize friction between the two bones at the point where they meet. When this soft protein cushion breaks down the bone surfaces get exposed to each other. This leads to pain within the joints and irritation in surrounding tissues and muscles. Damage cartilage cannot repair itself as it doesn’t contain any blood vessels. With the breaking down of the cushion the two bones come in direct contact and lead to friction between them causing intense pain.

Tapentadol for Osteoarthritis

Tapentadol an opioid analgesic has proved to be the best remedy for treating acute and chronic pain including that of arthritis. The recommended dose for OA is Tapentadol 100mg to Tapentadol 100mg tablets to be orally taken every 4 to 6 hours. The effect begins within an hour and the subject is completely relieved of pain for a long time. Unlike other analgesics or NSAIDs Tapentadol is free from any damaging side effects. The drug has the property of binding the opioid receptors of the brain and changing the way it reacts to pain. In short it disconnects the source of pain from the nerves leading to the brain and stops it from sending pain signals. The common and less worrisome side effects of Tapentadol are nausea, drowsiness, constipation, dizziness and sweating but these go away by themselves in no time without any medical intervention.