How Can Severe Arthritis Pain Be Treated?

I have been ordered MS Contin 30 mg and 15 mg quick acting ms, for break through pain, by my dr. I was on hydrocodon 10 mg up to 6 a day if needed. My dr thinks the ms will help better with less problems on my body. I am 63 years old retired nurse on disability due to sever arthritis. I also have 8 bad disc in my back with bulges and spurs at all 8 disc and a disc tear in L2, collapse of disc space on L4 and 5 hemangioma on L4. I have 4 total joint repacement on Lshoulder, both hips and R knee I am wondering if this ms will be a better long term drug for me. I have chronic pain, I live with this daily and want to stay as mobile as possible. Can you think of anything that my help. The idea of ms kind of scares me long term.