While arthritis comes in many forms, such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, all have joint inflammation as a primary symptom. There is no cure for any form of arthritis, but because of the ubiquity of this disease, many drugs have been produced to control the inflammation, reduce the amount of pain and improve quality of life for those with the disease. Not all anti-inflammatory medications are recommended for all types of arthritis, so talk to your doctor to find out which might work best for you.
Over-the-Counter Medications: NSAIDs
Many over-the-counter drugs known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, control inflammation. These include ibuprofen, aspirin and naproxen. While these OTC drugs are easily accessible and affordable, they still have potential side effects, especially if taken over a long period of time, as those with arthritis will need to do. Also, it's important to follow the recommended dosage, unless your doctor advises you otherwise. Potential side effects of NSAIDs include stomach ulcers, heart attack, stroke and kidney damage.
Corticosteroids
Corticosteroids, such as prednisone, are powerful anti-inflammatory drugs and also affect the body's immune system. Steroids can be injected into joints, given intravenously or taken orally. Because steroids can have significant side effects---such as bone loss, blood thinning with frequent bruising, weight loss and diabetes---doctors try to limit their use. For this reason, people with RA may be given these medicines only when they experience a flareup of symptoms. For those with osteoarthritis, steroid injections into inflamed joints are generally spaced at least three months apart to reduce the chance of bone loss and other side effects.
DMARDs
Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, such as methotrexate, etanercept, infliximab, adalimumab and abatacept, are medications that help slow or stop joint damage and reduce inflammation. When first prescribed, they are often used in conjunction with NSAIDs because the DMARDs take several weeks or longer to reach their full potency. This class of drug, unlike most other anti-inflammatory agents, can be taken over fairly long periods of time with fewer side effects.
Dietary Supplements
While not everyone thinks of dietary supplements as drugs, many have similar properties. For example, some dietary supplements have anti-inflammatory properties. Among these are thunder-god vine, gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) and fish oil. Glucosamine and chondroitin have been found to help reduce inflammation in osteoarthritis, but not for RA.
Pomegranate extract taken orally has also shown some promise as an anti-inflammatory agent, according to a study done at Case Western Reserve University's Department of Medicine.
People do sometimes experience side effects with these dietary supplements, including stomach upset, diarrhea, gas and hair loss; for glucosamine and chondroitin, the side effects may include increased asthma symptoms and blood thinning, so consult your doctor if you have allergies, asthma or are using warfarin.
Be careful in selecting dietary supplements. These are not regulated in the same way drugs are, and it can sometimes be difficult to find a reliable source of consistently high quality preparations for some of them.
Some dietary supplements may interact with your prescription medications, so always let your doctor know if you are taking any of these.
