Guide To The Conditions Prednisone Treats

Prednisone is a prescription medication in a class of drugs referred to as corticosteroids. Prednisone can be given in several ways, including as an injection, pill, or inhalant. Prednisone works through reducing the activity of an individual's immune system. An individual's immune system is responsible for protecting the tissues from harmful substances and foreign pathogens. The immune system in a healthy individual's body responds when an injury occurs, or disease develops. Prednisone helps decrease these responses to ease symptoms that cause more harm than good, such as swelling and inflammation. Some disorders cause an individual's immune system to abnormally and inappropriately attack healthy tissues in their body, and prednisone can help stop the immune system from doing so. However, prednisone can have side effects such as headaches, mood changes, acne, dizziness, fatigue, weight gain, appetite changes, and edema.

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Arthritis

Arthritis is a disease where an individual experiences inflammation in their joints and the tissues that surround them. There are approximately two hundred different conditions that may be referred to as arthritis. The most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis, but others include rheumatoid arthritis and gout. Stiffness, pain, aching, and swelling may occur around one or more joints in an affected individual. Symptoms can develop suddenly or slowly progress over time. Treatment for arthritis has the goals of controlling pain, maintaining or improving function, and minimizing joint damage. These goals are accomplished with physical therapy, joint assistive aids, weight loss, occupational therapy, splints, education and support, surgical procedures, and medications. Some forms of arthritis require the use of medications with anti-inflammatory benefits because the condition is caused by the individual's overactive immune system. Corticosteroids like cortisone and prednisone can be used to decrease the amount of inflammation in the affected joints, throttle the individual's immune system, and stop the inflammatory process.

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