List of Arthritis Medications

When treating arthritis, there are many medications available by prescription and over the counter. Your health care provider will be able to help you determine what medications will be best for your type of arthritis.

Topical Drugs to relieve pain

Topical medications can offer relief from pain for those who have arthritis in a couple of joints, such as in the foot when the pain isn't severe.

NSAIDs or Anti-inflammatory medications

NSAIDs are also called Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and can be obtained by a prescription and over the counter. It is likely that nearly everyone who has arthritis has or is taking one of these medications. When a prescription dosage is prescribed it can help to offset inflammation of the joints.

Other types of pain relievers for Arthritis

Over the counter dosages of Acetaminophen are often used to relieve pain for those who have arthritis. For severe pain, narcotic pain relievers might be prescribed, but they don't fight the inflammation. In many cases, they are used in conjunction with an NSAID or acetaminophen to help them work even more effectively. Narcotic medications have the potential to be habit forming and they have also been found to cause sedation, urinary issues and constipation. Your health care provider might recommend that you take an antidepressant to help treat your chronic pain even if you don't have depression. It hasn't been proven how antidepressants help to ease pain, but it is thought that the effect of antidepressants on the chemicals of the brain play a part. Some of the side effects include dry mouth, drowsiness and blurry vision. Sometimes, these medications can cause suicidal thoughts and mood changes.

Steroids to treat Arthritis

Steroids have powerful anti-inflammatory properties that are used to treat many types of arthritis that include lupus, rheumatoid arthritis as well as other types of inflammation like vasculitis. Even though they are effective, steroids have been found to have many different side effects, especially when taken long term as pills. Doctors often try to avoid these issues by injecting steroids into the bothersome joint. They also try other types of medicines in conjunction with steroids to keep doses low. List of common Arthritis medications to buy online.