DEAR DR. DONOHUE: For the past couple of years, my left hip has bothered me. My family doctor says it’s osteoarthritis, and he has me taking Tylenol. I have always considered Tylenol a placebo. Isn’t there a better medicine? How about surgery? When is that done? – M.R.

ANSWER: Osteoarthritis is the most common kind of arthritis. It’s arthritis that’s limited only to joints and is unlike rheumatoid arthritis, which attacks tissues and organs in addition to joints. In this respect, osteoarthritis is a better illness to have, since it doesn’t affect life span appreciably. In another respect, it’s not a good illness. Its pain can be incapacitating.

The basic problem is cracking, flaking and shrinking of the cartilage that lines joints and permits the two bone ends that constitute a joint to glide over each other effortlessly and painlessly. The prominent symptoms of osteoarthritis, therefore, are joint pain and stiffness.

Tylenol isn’t a placebo. It’s often the first medicine chosen for treatment of this kind of arthritis because it works and because it has few serious side effects. If you’re not obtaining pain relief, then your doctor will try other medicines, like the anti-inflammatory drugs ibuprofen and naproxen. Those drugs belong to a drug class that can irritate the stomach and cause ulcers and bleeding. For that reason, they’re often combined with medicines that reduce the production of stomach acid. Prilosec is such a medicine.

There are things other than medicine that can make life better for you. Hot packs applied to the joints are one of those things. Water exercises limber the joints without stressing them. Weight loss, if needed, takes stress off the hip and the other leg joints. Even padded insoles in your shoes spares leg joints.

Surgical replacement of the hip is an option, and it’s one to consider when medicines and other therapies fail to ease joint pain and increase a person’s mobility. It doesn’t sound like you’re at that stage right now.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I have an addiction to soft drinks. I drink well over 2 liters (about 2 quarts) every day. Is this a real addiction? I swear I can’t stop. – G.D.

ANSWER: “Addiction” implies that changes have occurred in the brain, with the result that unpleasant reactions materialize when the addicting substance is abruptly stopped.

You won’t have any withdrawal symptoms upon suddenly (or slowly) stopping your soft-drink habit. That’s what you have – a habit. Habits are difficult to stop, but they’re not impossible to break if you really put your mind to it.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: My mother has terminal cancer. I come from a large family, and we’re able to take care of her at home, but a disagreement has arisen about her pain medicine. One of my sisters says we are giving her too much of it and we are addicting her. The rest of us feel this is silly. What would you say? – N.D.

ANSWER: I agree with the rest of you. Your mother’s last days should be days without pain. Less than 1 percent of people suffering from severe pain become addicted to pain medicines. Her pain medicine should be given on schedule and not just when she requests it. Pain medicine works best when given in that way. The fear of addiction is not a good argument against providing her with pain relief.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I donated blood and got a notification that said I am CMV negative. What’s the implication of that? – K.M.

ANSWER: CMV is cytomegalovirus, a virus found all over the place and one that has infected nearly everyone. Being CMV negative means you aren’t infected. There’s no implication to this.

Dr. Donohue regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but he will incorporate them in his column whenever possible. Readers may write him or request an order form of available health newsletters at P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Readers may also order health newsletters from www.rbmamall.com