Arthritis Medication: What Works, What Doesn’t, and What Doctors Recommend

When your knees, hands, or hips ache every morning, arthritis medication, drugs used to reduce joint pain, swelling, and stiffness caused by wear-and-tear or autoimmune reactions. Also known as joint pain relievers, these aren’t just pills you pop—they’re tools that can delay surgery, keep you moving, and change how you live. In India, where over 15% of adults over 40 deal with joint pain, the right medication makes all the difference between staying active and being stuck on the couch.

Not all arthritis is the same, and neither are the drugs. NSAIDs, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen and diclofenac, used to reduce inflammation and pain in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are the first line for most people. But if you have stomach issues or high blood pressure, they’re not safe long-term. Then there’s corticosteroids, powerful anti-inflammatory drugs often injected directly into affected joints to give quick, targeted relief—effective but not for daily use. And for autoimmune types like rheumatoid arthritis, DMARDs, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs like methotrexate that slow joint damage over time become essential. These aren’t quick fixes. They take weeks to work, but they stop the disease from eating away at your joints.

What you won’t find in most pharmacies are miracle cures. No herb, no supplement, no trendy oil will reverse bone-on-bone damage. But some things help more than you think. Walking, as doctors in Bangalore confirm, isn’t just safe—it’s one of the best treatments you can do at home. Weight loss, even 5-10 pounds, cuts pressure on your knees. And yes, you can avoid knee replacement even with severe arthritis if you act early with the right mix of medication, movement, and lifestyle changes.

What you’ll find below are real, no-fluff guides from people who’ve been there. From what painkillers actually work for stiff knees, to how to spot when your arthritis meds are doing more harm than good, to the non-surgical options doctors in India are using right now to help patients skip the operating table. These aren’t theory pieces. They’re what people in Delhi, Chennai, and Pune are using to get back on their feet—without waiting for surgery or relying on unproven remedies.