Yes, there are many medications for arthritis, ranging from over-the-counter pain relievers to powerful prescription drugs that can slow joint damage. The right choice depends on which type of arthritis you have. Osteoarthritis, caused by wear and tear on cartilage, is typically managed with pain-focused medications. Inflammatory types like rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis require drugs that target the immune system to prevent it from attacking your joints.
Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers
For mild to moderate arthritis pain, two categories of medication are widely available without a prescription: acetaminophen (Tylenol) and NSAIDs like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve). Acetaminophen relieves pain and is easy on the stomach, but it doesn’t reduce inflammation. NSAIDs do both, which makes them more effective for joints that are swollen or stiff.
The tradeoff is side effects. Acetaminophen can cause liver problems at higher doses. The recommended ceiling is 4,000 milligrams per day, but staying under 3,000 milligrams is safer for most people. NSAIDs carry a different set of risks: stomach irritation, ulcers that can lead to internal bleeding, and an increased chance of heart attack, stroke, or kidney problems with long-term use. These cardiovascular risks affect people with and without existing heart disease, though the danger is greater if you already have a heart condition. Side effects can appear as early as the first few weeks of daily use, so taking the smallest effective dose for the shortest time possible is the safest approach.
Corticosteroid Injections
When pain is concentrated in one or two joints and oral medications aren’t enough, corticosteroid injections can deliver powerful anti-inflammatory relief directly where it’s needed. These shots work fast, often reducing pain and swelling within days. They’re commonly used for knee, hip, and shoulder arthritis.
The downside is that repeated injections can contribute to cartilage loss over time. Current guidelines from several major pain medicine societies recommend waiting at least two to three weeks, and up to three months, between injections, then stopping once pain relief plateaus. There are no firmly established yearly or lifetime limits, but the risk of cartilage damage increases with higher doses and more frequent injections. A single standard dose carries low risk, while two or more injections at higher doses raise it meaningfully.
DMARDs for Inflammatory Arthritis
If you have rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, or another inflammatory form, your doctor will likely prescribe a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug, commonly called a DMARD. These medications do more than manage pain. They suppress the immune activity that causes joint inflammation in the first place, which can prevent permanent joint damage.
Methotrexate is the most widely used first-line DMARD and has decades of data behind it. Sulfasalazine is another common option. These are called conventional DMARDs because they work by broadly dialing down your immune system. They’re taken as pills or, in the case of methotrexate, sometimes as a weekly injection. Because they suppress immune function, regular blood work is needed to monitor for side effects like liver stress or low blood cell counts. Most people tolerate them well, but it can take several weeks to feel the full benefit.
Biologic Medications
Biologics are a newer class of DMARDs that target specific parts of the immune system rather than suppressing it broadly. They’re typically prescribed when conventional DMARDs like methotrexate haven’t provided enough relief. There are several categories, each aimed at a different inflammatory trigger.
TNF inhibitors were the first biologics developed for arthritis. They block a protein called tumor necrosis factor that drives joint inflammation. Well-known options include adalimumab (Humira), etanercept (Enbrel), and infliximab (Remicade), along with a growing number of lower-cost biosimilars. Interleukin inhibitors target different inflammatory signaling molecules. Some block interleukin-1, others block interleukin-6 or interleukin-17, depending on the specific disease. B-cell inhibitors, such as rituximab (Rituxan), work by reducing a type of immune cell involved in the inflammatory process.
Most biologics are given as injections you can do at home, either every week or every two weeks depending on the drug. Some require intravenous infusions at a clinic, which can take an hour or more and may need to happen every few weeks to months. The choice between self-injection and infusion often comes down to lifestyle and scheduling. Because biologics partially suppress the immune system, they increase susceptibility to infections, and your doctor will screen for conditions like tuberculosis before starting treatment.
JAK Inhibitors
JAK inhibitors are oral medications that work differently from biologics but target similar inflammatory pathways. Tofacitinib (Xeljanz), baricitinib (Olumiant), and upadacitinib (Rinvoq) are all approved for rheumatoid arthritis. Tofacitinib is also approved for psoriatic arthritis. The appeal of these drugs is convenience: they’re pills, not injections.
However, the FDA has required its strongest safety warning on all three. A large clinical trial of tofacitinib found increased risks of serious heart-related events, cancer, blood clots, and death compared to TNF inhibitors. The other two JAK inhibitors share the same mechanism and carry the same warning, even though their own large safety trials haven’t been completed. These drugs are generally reserved for people who haven’t responded to other treatments, and the decision to use them involves weighing the benefits against these specific risks.
Biosimilars and Newer Options
The arthritis medication landscape keeps expanding, particularly with biosimilars. Biosimilars are near-identical copies of existing biologic drugs, and they typically cost less. In 2025, several previously approved biosimilars for adalimumab (the active ingredient in Humira) were upgraded to “interchangeable” status by the FDA, meaning pharmacists can substitute them just like a generic pill. Five biosimilars for ustekinumab (Stelara), used in psoriatic arthritis, received the same interchangeable designation. These approvals are making biologic-level treatment more accessible.
The FDA also expanded approval for guselkumab (Tremfya), previously an adult-only drug, to treat psoriatic arthritis and plaque psoriasis in children as young as six who weigh at least about 88 pounds.
How Treatment Typically Progresses
Arthritis treatment usually follows a stepwise approach. For osteoarthritis, most people start with over-the-counter pain relievers, physical activity, and weight management. If those aren’t sufficient, prescription-strength NSAIDs or corticosteroid injections are the next step. Surgery becomes an option when joint damage is severe.
For inflammatory arthritis, the priority is starting a DMARD early to prevent joint destruction. Methotrexate is the usual starting point. If it doesn’t control inflammation adequately after a few months, a biologic or JAK inhibitor gets added or substituted. Some people do well on a single medication for years; others need combinations or need to switch drugs when one loses effectiveness. Finding the right regimen can take time, but the number of available options means most people can reach meaningful pain relief and slow the progression of their disease.