Is there such a thing as a plateau effect for arthritis medications?
Is there such a thing as a plateau effect for arthritis medications?It has been the experience of many arthritis patients that after taking a particular NSAID for awhile it seems to stop working or lose effectiveness. Is there such a thing as a plateau effect for NSAIDS and do you think it helps to change NSAIDS periodically for this reason? Answer: When ever a new medication is started there seems to be an almost euphoric effect. This is due in part to the “placebo effect”, but the major reason is that there is pent up pain, aching, and stiffness in an arthritic patient that begs for relief. An NSAID will quickly provide this relief. After awhile, however, the patient may note that relief is not as dramatic as hoped for. Since patients do not build up a tolerance to their NSAID, wha
