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- Replacing a joint
- How to choose an arthritis pain reliever
How to choose an arthritis pain reliever
Last reviewed: July 2007
All the pain drugs listed below except celecoxib (Celebrex) are available as inexpensive generics. Note that people respond
to various drugs differently, so if one doesn’t adequately relieve your symptoms, talk to your doctor about trying another.| If you… | The best drug is… | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Have no relevant medical history | Acetaminophen (Tylenol). | Safest for most people and adequately eases pain in many. |
| Have liver disease, drink heavily, or don’t get adequate relief from acetaminophen | Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB), naproxen (Aleve), or salsalate (a prescription drug). | Cheaper than other NSAIDs. |
| Have high risk of heart disease or take low-dose aspirin, and don’t get adequate relief from acetaminophen | Naproxen. | May pose less heart risk than other NSAIDs, and appears less likely to undermine aspirin’s cardiac benefits. |
| Have high risk of gastrointestinal problems and don’t get adequate relief from acetaminophen | Ibuprofen, naproxen, or salsalate plus a stomach-protecting drug such as omeprazole (Prilosec OTC). | You could also consider celecoxib (Celebrex) if you have low heart risk, though it may not reduce the chance of gastrointestinal bleeding. |
