Acetaminophen and Arthritis Pain

Q:  I am presently taking Tylenol for osteoarthritis and am finding very little relief. I am anxious to try glucosamine and chondroitin, but am reluctant to do so, as I am also on coumadin. What is your opinion?

A:  You have really asked two questions, one relating to pain relief for osteoarthritis and the other about the safety and efficacy of glucosamine and chondroitin.

Tylenol (acetaminophen) can be a very effective pain reliever for osteoarthritis, but often it is not effective because the amount ingested is insufficient. Most adults can take up to 4000 mg per 24 hour period at no risk. This translates into two 500 mg pills four times a day.

Chondroitin and glucosamine are often advertised for their ability to rebuild cartilage. There is so far no evidence that either is effective in doing so, but they do appear to have some benefit in reducing pain. I checked with a hospital pharmacist who reviewed an herbal reference and found that there are no interactions with coumadin that are unsafe.

Because of the cost, I'd recommend that you maximize the dose of acetaminophen before trying another remedy. If there has been a significant change in the amount of pain you're having, a quick call to your doctor might be in order.

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