With Bextra off the market, are there effective alternative ways to treat pain?

The latest drug recalls of prodects like Bextra and Vioxx and drug warnings on drugs such as Celebrex have left millions of people wondering what to use for relief. A new study suggests over-the-counter heat wraps may help people trying to manage arthritis and other chronic pain. A study funded by Procter and Gamble, the makers of ThermaCare heat wraps, looked at 110 men and women with osteoarthritis of the knee. Given either acetaminophen, ibuprofen or a placebo, and wearing a wrap with no heat or a ThermaCare heat wrap for eight hours a day, researchers found that those receiving the heat treatment had significantly less pain, a better range of motion and more reduced disability than those treated with any of the other options.