Osteoarthritis pain relief

What is the best pain relief for osteoarthritis?

Key facts

  • Over the counter pain relief such as paracetamol may not help much with osteoarthritis pain, but NSAIDs can provide effective pain relief. 
  • Steroid injections may provide short-term pain relief for some people when pain is severe. 
  • If you have tried all other pain management methods, and you are still in a lot of pain, doctors may discuss the option of surgery with you. 

Osteoarthritis occurs when a joint cannot repair itself as well as it should. It can affect people of any age, although it becomes more common as we get older. Exercise is one of the most effective ways to reduce osteoarthritis pain and improve how well your joints work. 

What does osteoarthritis feel like? 

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. It occurs when a joint can no longer repair itself as well as it used to. This leads to changes in the joint that can be painful. The amount of damage in a joint is not always a good gauge of the level of pain you’re in. 

Osteoarthritis pain is likely to affect 1 or 2 joints. It most often occurs in the hips, knees, spine, hands and big toes. But it can affect any joint. 

Your pain may come and go. It can be mild or severe. As well as being painful, your joints may crunch, stiffen or swell. Some people find that their joints give way or lock at times. 

The pain may be worse: 

  • first thing in the morning 
  • after you’ve stayed still for a while 
  • because of changes in the weather – such as heat, cold or dampness in the air 
  • when the joint is touched or you apply pressure to it, for example when kneeling. 

Pain relief 

Most people with osteoarthritis find that a combination of arthritis treatments work best for their pain. You may prefer to try to manage your pain without medicines. 

In some cases, surgery may be required to help with symptoms.  

Keep moving 

Exercise is one of the best ways to manage your osteoarthritis symptoms. It can reduce pain and improve how well your joints work. 

That’s because it may: 

  • strengthen the muscles that hold your joints steady 
  • stretch tight muscles 
  • reduce stiffness 
  • boost your energy levels 
  • help you keep to a healthy weight, to reduce strain on your joints 
  • improve your mood. 

It’s better to do a little exercise more often, rather than doing a lot on one day and needing to take a long time to recover. 

You might want to try these gentle exercises that are tailored to certain joints: Exercises for healthy joints.

You can also try these online classes that are designed for people with arthritis:  

If you want to find out more about staying active with arthritis, Arthritis UK has a booklet called Keep Moving. 

Drugs 

Pain relief medicines such as paracetamol or codeine many only have a small effect on osteoarthritis pain. 

Your GP or pharmacist may suggest you try these treatments instead: 

  • anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) in the form of gels, creams or tablets 
  • capsaicin cream 
  • a steroid injection to provide short-term relief in a joint if other methods of pain relief are not helping. 

You may have heard about injections of hyaluronic acid or platelet-rich plasma (PRP) for knee osteoarthritis. Hyaluronic acid injections aim to reduce pain by adding fluid to the joint. But there is not enough evidence that they help people with osteoarthritis.

PRP injections use a sample of your own blood, which is processed before being injected into the joint. There is some evidence that PRP may help with knee osteoarthritis pain, but more research is needed. It is not routinely available on the NHS. 

Looking after painful joints 

As well as medications, there are other ways to ease pain and reduce any stiffness if your joints hurt. 

These small changes can help: 

Surgery 

If you've tried other arthritis treatments and you’re still in a lot of pain, you may be offered surgery. Not everyone with osteoarthritis will need to have joint surgery. And it’s not right for everyone. 

Joint surgery can reduce pain and improve how well your joint works, but it may not get rid of pain completely. 

Joint replacement is one form of surgery that can help with osteoarthritis pain. The earlier in life you have a joint replacement, the more likely you are to need further surgery. Research has also shown that join replacements tend to be less successful if joints are in the very early stages of arthritis – or if a joint is already very damaged. 

There are other surgeries that may delay or reduce the need for a full or partial joint replacement. Your surgeon will be able to talk to you about the options. 

Any form of joint surgery is major and takes time to recover from. All surgery carries some risks. Joint replacement is usually only considered if you have severe pain and restricted movement – and if your arthritis is not helped by other treatments. There can also be quite a wait for this type of surgery on the NHS. 

If you’re thinking about having joint surgery, you may want to read more about knee replacement surgery and hip replacement surgery. 

Physiotherapy 

Physiotherapy can help reduce pain and improve movement for people with osteoarthritis. 

It combines: 

  • movement 
  • manipulation of muscles and joints 
  • advice to help ease your pain and get your muscles and joints moving more easily. 

A physiotherapist may also offer guided exercise in the form of stretches and specialised Pilates or yoga programmes. 

In many areas, you can self-refer to a physiotherapist. But you may need to ask your GP to refer you. 

Pain management programmes 

Pain management programmes help you learn to live well with pain. Topics that are often covered include: 

  • pacing yourself 
  • managing flare-ups 
  • making sleep and rest a priority 
  • coping with the impact of pain on your daily life. 

These free online information sessions aim to help you manage aspects of life with arthritis: 

Complementary and alternative treatments 

There is little evidence to support the use of complementary therapies for osteoarthritis, but some people find they help with their pain. 

These types of therapies are not without risk, so you should always talk to your doctor before you try one. 

Complementary treatments are rarely offered on the NHS. If you choose to see a therapist, look for someone who follows a code of ethics and is fully insured. 

TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) is sometimes used for pain relief. Some people find it helpful, although there is not much evidence that it helps with osteoarthritis pain. 

More practical health and lifestyle advice: Living with arthritis. 

Sources 

Last review: September 2026

Next review: September 2029