Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain Relief: An Overview
There is no single treatment that applies to everyone with
rheumatoid arthritis pain, but your healthcare providers will develop a management plan designed to minimize your specific pain and improve the function of your joints.
Treatment options for
rheumatoid arthritis are typically split into two categories: short-term pain relief and long-term pain relief.
Short-Term Relief of Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain
A number of treatments can provide short-term pain relief. Some of these include:
- Medications
- Heat and cold
- Joint protection
- TENS
- Massage.
Medications
People with rheumatoid
arthritis generally have pain caused by inflammation and often benefit from taking aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (
NSAIDs) such as
ibuprofen (
Motrin® or Advil
®) or
naproxen sodium (Aleve
®) that are available without a prescription.
Heat and Cold
Moist heat (such as a warm bath or shower) or dry heat (such as a heating pad) placed on the painful area of the joint for about 15 minutes may relieve the pain. An ice pack or a bag of frozen vegetables wrapped in a towel and placed on the sore area for about 15 minutes may help to reduce swelling and stop the pain. If you have poor circulation, do not use cold packs.
Make sure to talk with your healthcare provider about using either heat or cold for your rheumatoid
arthritis pain relief.
