Can OTC Pain Medications Help With Arthritis?

Although acetaminophen is considered safe when you take it as directed, a possible serious side effect is severe liver damage. There are also a few risks to take into account: 

Taking more than the recommended dose can damage your liver or kidneys. Always check the drug label and follow the directions or your doctor’s instructions. Check any other medicines you might be taking to make sure the ingredients don’t also include acetaminophen.

Taking acetaminophen at the right dose can still damage your liver or kidneys. This can happen if you take acetaminophen regularly or if you take acetaminophen and have three or more alcoholic beverages a day.

If you have liver disease, have three or more alcoholic drinks a day, or have allergies to certain medicines, you might not be able to take acetaminophen.

NSAIDs

Like acetaminophen, NSAIDs ease pain. They also lower swelling. That’s why many doctors recommend you take an NSAID, like ibuprofen, for occasional arthritis pain. 

NSAIDs are considered safe when you take them as directed for up to 10 days. Possible side effects include:

• Nausea
• Indigestion
• Vomiting
• Belly pain
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Itching
• Rash
• Headache
• High blood pressure 

There are also some serious risks:

Kidney problems and fluid retention. Taking high doses of NSAIDs for a long time can damage your kidneys and make your body retain water. If you are taking other medicines while also taking an NSAID, check the ingredients to make sure they don’t include ibuprofen, naproxen, or aspirin.

Bleeding in the stomach. Taking NSAIDs can also hurt or cause bleeding in the stomach. This risk goes up if you combine NSAIDs with alcohol or if you smoke.

If you have advanced kidney disease, stomach ulcers, or severe heart failure, you should not take any NSAIDs. You should also avoid taking NSAIDs if you take cancer drugs that might cause bleeding or if you take blood thinners, steroids, or medicine to lower blood pressure.

Supplements

There isn't much proof that supplements can really help with arthritis pain. Here are a few of the most common ones some people still take: 

Glucosamine. Study results have been mixed. Some say it works no better than a placebo. Others say it eases osteoarthritis pain better than taking nothing at all.

Chondroitin. Study results have been mixed. But chondroitin might offer modest pain relief from osteoarthritis.

Fish oil. Studies have found that it can ease symptoms of some types of arthritis. Still, fish oil can interfere with medicines, so talk to your doctor first.

Topical Pain Relief

Topical medicine soaks through the skin. That’s why it tends to work best for joints that are close to the skin, like those in the hands and knees. Topical creams and gels can contain different ingredients. Here are some of the most common ones:

Topical NSAID creams and gels. You can use these as needed or every day. They are a good choice for people who can’t take NSAIDs by mouth.

Topical creams with capsaicin. Capsaicin is the spicy compound found in hot peppers. Wear gloves when you put these types of creams on, or be sure to wash your hands well afterward. And whatever you do, don’t touch your eyes. 

Topical creams with salicylates. Salicylates are the pain-relieving ingredient in aspirin.

Counterirritants. These make the skin feel hot or cold and might block pain signals. Some counterirritants can contain menthol or camphor.

Topical anesthetics. These tend to contain lidocaine, which causes numbness to ease pain. Lidocaine comes in a cream, gel, spray, or patch. 

You should never use topical pain relievers on broken or irritated skin. Never use them with a heating pad or bandage, either.