Medication is a fact of life for most people with arthritis. It can be extremely effective in reducing pain and can also slow down the effects of your disease. So it is important that you feel in control of your medication and can discuss what works best for you with your doctor or health team.
Part of this is about understanding the types of drugs that might be used to treat your condition and how they work.

It is important to remember that any drug can have side effects. You should discuss these with your doctor and decide whether the benefits you might receive from taking a drug will outweigh any potential side effects.
There are two main families of drugs used by people with arthritis, and your doctor may prescribe a combination from each. They are:

• Drugs which control the symptoms of your disease. These are used to treat most types of arthritis, including osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, and they alleviate specific symptoms such as pain, swelling and stiffness. They include painkillers and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
• Drugs which affect the disease itself. These drugs affect the progression of the disease through, for instance, suppressing the immune system (the body's own defence system). These drugs include disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and corticosteroids (steroids). They can also control symptoms.

For further information on medication check out our Drugs and Complementary Therapies information booklet.