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Orthopedic Drugs

A number of prescription and over-the-counter drugs help relieve the pain, swelling and other symptoms that come with fractured bones, injured ligaments, disease, aging and degeneration of joints and bones.

Managing pain is important for your recovery. Severe pain or pain that doesn’t go away can lead to depression, difficulty sleeping, limitations on your ability to move around and changes to your daily activities.

All of these can slow down your healing and prolong a painful bone condition.

  • You should always consult with your doctor about how best to deal with your pain.
  • Be careful about taking drugs you haven’t had before.
  • Be sure to tell your doctor about all drugs that you are taking, including over-the-counter medicines.
  • Also, be sure to take any drugs your doctor prescribes the way that he or she tells you and for as long as you are asked to take them.
  • Avoid using alcohol to relax or relieve pain. While it may relax muscles, it is not a pain reliever.
  • Many doctors believe alcohol may cause more problems than it solves. Alcohol is a major depressant and can be habit-forming.
  • In addition, it can have serious side effects with pain-relieving drugs.
  • Alcohol is also fattening and tends to slow your recovery.