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There are a lot of treatments for arthritis, including medicines which are better for short-term or emergency treatment and are designed to make you feel better quickly, and those which are taken in the medium or long-term and are designed to prevent joint damage and disability. Most of the medicines used for arthritis have long names and the different types of medicines can be very confusing.
Short-term treatments include painkilling tablets, for example paracetamol or codeine and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), for example naproxen and ibuprofen, and corticosteroids (steroids) given as tablets or injections into the joints or muscles. These medicines are used when your arthritis is active and affecting your life and usually shouldn’t be needed regularly, if at all, when you are feeling well.
Long-term treatments include medicines such as non-biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) such as methotrexate, sulfasalazine and the newer JAK-inhibitors such as baricitinib, and biologic medicines such as adalimumab or etanercept. These medicines are not painkillers so can’t be used just on bad days or when you are struggling but need to be taken regularly to prevent joint damage. Some of these medicines will be prescribed by your GP and some by the hospital, so make sure that you know which is which.
You will need to have regular blood tests done if you are having long-term treatments for arthritis to make sure that they are safe. If you are planning a pregnancy you should speak to your rheumatology team in advance if you are taking these medicines as you may need to switch to something safer.
Questions to ask about your treatment
It is a good idea to prepare some questions ahead of your appointment, to make sure you have all the information you need for your new treatment.
Long-term hospital appointments
If you have inflammatory arthritis, you will need to be seen in the hospital regularly, but as things come under control your appointments will be spaced out, often to yearly or even less in some cases. Even if that is the case and you are feeling better, try not to miss one without letting someone know, as there is a risk you may be discharged. This may mean you have to stop your medicines and not be able to get another appointment easily without having to go back to your GP and start the whole process again. So it is important to stay in touch with the team.
If you are feeling well and don’t need to have your appointment, let someone know and your appointment can be moved to a later date.
Similarly, try not to miss your blood tests as GPs and consultants cannot carry on signing prescriptions unless it is safe, and for this to happen you will have to have your blood tests done regularly.
Finally, something easy to forget but important for continuity of your care: if you change your mobile number or move, remember to let your hospital know so that they can send your appointment letters to the right place.
Last reviewed: June, 2025
