Medicines Used as Treatments for Osteoarthritis
Doctors consider a number of factors when choosing
osteoarthritis medication for their patients. In particular, they look at the type of pain the person may be experiencing and any possible side effects from the drugs.
For
arthritis pain relief, doctors usually start with
acetaminophen (
Tylenol®) because the side effects are minimal. If acetaminophen does not relieve pain, a doctor may recommend nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (
NSAIDs). These include but are not limited to:
In addition, COX-2 inhibitors, such as
celecoxib (
Celebrex®), may be used as treatments for osteoarthritis.
Corticosteroids, hyaluronic acid, and topical creams are often used to treat osteoarthritis. Most medicines have side effects, so it is important for people to learn about the medicines they take. For example, people over the age of 65 and those with any history of ulcers or stomach bleeding should use NSAIDs with caution.
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