i understand your concern. Arthritis, in many cases can be effectively managed by dietary control. Being overweight increases the load that you put on your joints -- your knees, your hips, your ankle -- with every step you take.Over time, that extra weight makes you much more prone to developing arthritis and can cause arthritis to progress much more rapidly, leading to much more pain once it has developed. Hence weight control is often included in management of arthritis. thus, the prescribed medication is helpful in long term management of arthritis Take Care!