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Condition guide · /arthritis/
Arthritis and pain medicines
Reviewed by Dr. Arjun Mehta, PharmD — Head Pharmacist. Updated May 2025.
58M
100+
Forms of arthritis
3
Main drug classes
Daily
Most need long-term Rx
Medicines in this guide
From $11
From $14
From $18
About this condition
Arthritis is not one disease but a family of more than 100 conditions in which joints become painful, swollen and stiff. The two most common types are osteoarthritis (wear-and-tear, usually after age 50) and rheumatoid arthritis (an autoimmune disease that can occur at any age).
Treatment is tiered. Mild symptoms are managed with paracetamol and topical NSAIDs. Moderate symptoms add oral NSAIDs (with stomach protection if used long-term). Severe and inflammatory arthritis (RA, psoriatic) needs disease-modifying drugs (DMARDs) like methotrexate, often added to biologics.
Treatment options
NSAIDs
Diclofenac, naproxen, ibuprofen. Reduce pain and inflammation. Take with food and use lowest effective dose.
Topical NSAIDs
Diclofenac gel. Effective for knee and hand osteoarthritis with far fewer systemic side effects.
Paracetamol
First-line for mild osteoarthritis pain. Safer for stomach than NSAIDs, max 4g/day.
DMARDs
Methotrexate, sulfasalazine, hydroxychloroquine. Used for rheumatoid and inflammatory arthritis under specialist care.
Common questions
How long can I take NSAIDs?
Short-term use is generally safe; long-term daily use raises risk of stomach ulcers, kidney problems and cardiovascular events. Long-term users are often given a PPI like pantoprazole for stomach protection.
Is the pain in the joint the same in all arthritis?
No. Osteoarthritis is worse with activity and improves with rest. Rheumatoid arthritis is worse in the morning and improves with movement. The pattern helps the diagnosis.
Can diet help arthritis?
A Mediterranean-style diet, weight loss if overweight, and omega-3 supplements have modest but real benefits.
Dr. Arjun Mehta, PharmD · Head Pharmacist
/our-pharmacists/arjun-mehta/ — Reviewed May 2025
This guide is reviewed every 12 months or sooner when clinical guidance changes. If you have a specific medical question, call our pharmacist team — we answer the phone, not a bot.
