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There are many medicines to help reduce the pain and swelling of osteoarthritis. You can buy some of these without a prescription. You and your doctor will decide what works best for you.
- Pain relievers do just that: They help reduce pain. But they don’t reduce swelling. Pain relievers can help with mild-to-moderate arthritis pain. Your doctor may prescribe a stronger, short-term medicine for severe pain.
- Medicines that reduce swelling may reduce pain, too. You can get some of these medicines without a prescription.
- Topical pain relievers include creams, gels, patches, rubs, and sprays. They may help relieve joint pain.
- Medicines injected into joints can give quick, targeted pain relief. They are often used to treat moderate-to-severe osteoarthritis that doesn’t get better with pain relievers. Patients should only have three to four shots a year.
- A treatment for knee osteoarthritis involves injecting a thick substance into the joint to “boost” the cushioning fluid. The treatment is a shot once a week for three to five weeks. It has been shown to reduce mild-to-moderate knee pain.
Keep in mind:
- Like many drugs, osteoarthritis medicine can cause side effects. It can also interact with food or other medicines. Tell your doctor about any medical conditions you have and about other medicines you take. These include medicines and supplements you buy without a prescription. If you have side effects, contact your doctor right away.
- Some medicines, when taken by mouth, may upset your stomach, especially when taken long term. Your doctor or pharmacist can suggest ways to help avoid stomach trouble.
- Don’t combine topical pain relievers, like creams, with heat treatment. Used together, they could burn you.
Many patients with osteoarthritis use alternative remedies and dietary supplements for help. Most of these are untested.
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