Simple Strategies for Managing Arthritis Pain at Home
⌚️ read time: 9 minutes
Ok, hold onto your seats, this is a comprehensive article. Each section could really be (and will someday be) its own article.
In my previous arthritis article from a few weeks ago, I explained what arthritis actually is — the breakdown of that smooth cartilage layer between bones.
"Ok…but what should I do for it?"
That's the question I hear most frequently after explaining arthritis to my patients. While understanding that your joint surfaces have roughened over time is enlightening, it doesn't immediately ease the morning stiffness in your fingers or the ache in your knees when climbing stairs.
Since there's no magic bullet to "cure" arthritis (despite what some late-night infomercials might suggest), let's talk about what you can actually do to manage it.
Today, I'm sharing practical, evidence-based strategies for combatting arthritis pain that don't require a prescription pad or an operating room.
The Medicine Cabinet Approach
When arthritis pain flares up, most people reach for their medicine cabinet first.
But which option is best? Let's cut through the confusion.
If you want the full medicine cabinet strategy, you can find my previous deep dive on the topic here.
NSAIDs: Your First Line of Defense
If your doctor approves (beware those with pre-existing stomach and kidney issues) non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are often the go-to option for arthritis pain. Common options include ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve).
These work via two pathways: pain relief and anti-inflammatory effects.
But here's something most people miss as an option — they only take these medications when they're already in pain.
For arthritis flares, there is a second option. Rather than just taking the medicine when it hurts, it can be more effective to take NSAIDs around the clock for a short period. This maintains a steady level of anti-inflammatory medication in your bloodstream. Oftentimes, this works better than the roller-coaster approach of taking it only when pain peaks.
Pro tip: Naproxen has a much longer half-life (about 15 hours) compared to ibuprofen (about 2 hours). This means taking naproxen twice daily will give you much more consistent relief (fewer peaks and valleys) than taking ibuprofen every 4-6 hours.
For a 7-10 day period during a flare, consider taking naproxen every 12 hours whether you're in pain or not. This consistent approach often outperforms the on-again-off-again approach most people use.
In general, I wouldn’t suggest this strategy for longer than 7-10 days at a time. Beyond this, the risk of stomach and kidney side effects will rise.
The Power of Combining Medications
Here's a secret many don't realize: acetaminophen (Tylenol) and NSAIDs work differently in your body, which means you can take them together for enhanced pain relief.
The myth that you can't take Advil and Tylenol together is just that - a myth. These medications work through different pathways, and when used properly together, they can provide more effective pain relief than either one alone.
Studies have shown that this combination can be as effective as prescription opioids for many types of pain, without the risks of addiction or severe side effects. Always follow the dosing instructions on the packages and never exceed the recommended amounts.
Topical Relief: Treatments You Apply Directly
Sometimes the best approach is to target the joint directly with a topical treatment. This can be particularly effective in joints close to the skin (eg, hand and knee) versus deeper joints (eg, hip and spine).
Diclofenac Gel (Voltaren)
This prescription-strength NSAID is now available over the counter (woohoo!). The gel allows you to deliver the medication right where you need it, with fewer systemic side effects than oral medications.
The benefit?
You're getting anti-inflammatory relief without putting your stomach or kidneys at risk. For many of my patients with hand arthritis, this gel has been a game-changer.
Capsaicin Cream
Derived from chili peppers, capsaicin creates a warming sensation that can interrupt pain signals. It works by depleting substance P, a molecule that sends pain messages to your brain.
Capsaicin is by no means an immediate fix — you'll need to use it consistently for a few weeks to see results.
And warning! You may experience more of a burning sensation at first. If it’s not a dealbreaker for you, it typically diminishes with continued use.
Beyond Pills and Creams: Physical Approaches
The Hot-Cold Debate
Should you use ice or heat for arthritis?
Well, it sort of depends on what's happening inside your joint at the moment.
Most doctors believe that ice is your friend during acute inflammation (I do a deeper dive into this controversy here).
If your joint is hot, swollen, or you're experiencing a flare-up, cold therapy can reduce inflammation and numb the pain. A bag of frozen peas (the orthopedist's favorite medical device) wrapped in a thin towel works perfectly — it molds to your joint and isn't too harsh.
Just be sure you cycle through a 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off routine to prevent frostbite.
In contrast, heat is often better for stiffness and chronic pain.
If your joint feels tight and restricted, especially first thing in the morning, a warm compress can improve circulation and loosen things up. A heating pad, warm shower, or paraffin bath (especially nice for hands) can provide significant relief.
But at the end of the day, neither of these tactics are going to cure the underlying condition. So do what feels best on your joint and stick with it.
The Movement Paradox
It seems counterintuitive, but one of the best things for arthritis is motion.
Pick your favorite expression: “Motion is lotion,” or “Move it or lose it.” These saying exist for a reason!
When you don't move an arthritic joint, it gets stiffer and ultimately more painful. Fortunately, gentle, low-impact exercise helps in multiple ways:
Strengthen the muscles around your joints, providing better outside support
Improve circulation to your joints
Maintain your range of motion
Good options for low-impact exercise include swimming, cycling, walking on even surfaces, and yoga. But the key here is consistency rather than intensity. A daily 20-minute walk is better than an occasional intense workout that leaves you in pain.
A quick word on the fingers. With all the little joints in the hands, it is incredibly common to wake up in the morning with hand arthritis pain. What’s worse, any degree of stiffness in the fingers is usually communicated to your brain as pain.
The “Move it or lose it” mantra is never more important than in the fingers. Hand exercises can be particularly beneficial for arthritis in the fingers. Something as simple as gently making a fist and then spreading your fingers wide, repeated 10 times a few times each day, can help maintain mobility and significantly decrease arthritis pain.
Weight Management: The Force Multiplier
For weight-bearing joints like knees and hips, your body weight has a massive impact on joint stress. When walking, your knees bear 1.5 times your body weight. When climbing stairs, that increases to 2-4 times your weight.
This means even modest weight loss can have outsized impacts on reducing joint stress. A 10-pound weight loss can reduce force on your knees by 30-40 pounds with each step up the stairs!
Multiply that over time and you have a recipe for joint pain relief.
Dietary Approaches: Inflammation from the Inside Out
Anti-inflammatory Foods
While the evidence isn't as robust as we'd like and the media hype is a little much, it is reasonable to assume that some dietary approaches may help reduce systemic inflammation.
And where there’s inflammation, pain is sure to follow.
Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids (like fatty fish, walnuts, and flaxseeds) and antioxidants (colorful fruits and vegetables) appear to have anti-inflammatory properties. How well these are distributed through the body, and to what magnitude, are still somewhat debated.
That being said, we do have decent evidence for the Mediterranean diet. With its emphasis on fish, olive oil, nuts, fruits, and vegetables, this way of eating has the strongest evidence for reducing inflammation and improving overall health.
Supplements: Worth the Hype?
The supplement aisle is packed with options claiming to help with arthritis. It is important to understand that none of these are approved or regulated by the FDA. And all of them stand to make a profit by convincing you of their benefits.
If you take this route, always buy supplements that have been independently tested and come from reputable sources.
Here's my take on a few popular choices:
Glucosamine and Chondroitin
Glucoasmine and chondroitin are natural components of cartilage. To put it bluntly, their use has mixed evidence, at best. Some patients swear by them, while larger studies show inconsistent results regarding relief of arthritis pain. Just because these are natural components of cartilage doesn’t mean that filling your stomach with them will grant you better joints.
If you want to try them, give them at least 2-3 months before deciding if they're helping. Chondroitin does seem to have more promising evidence than glucosamine when used in isolation.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Fish oil supplements have a longer, more consistent body of evidence showing a reduction in all-cause inflammation. While the effect is not massive, certainly every bit helps.
However, high-dose fish oil supplementation has been linked with some tendency towards a common heart arrhythmia (atrial fibrillation), so if you’re considering this one, it’s probably worth running past your primary care doctor first.
Or. Eating fatty fish two to three times a week can provide similar benefits.
Turmeric (Curcumin)
For those not familiar, turmeric is a bright yellow spice that contains curcumin, which appears to have anti-inflammatory properties.
To date, we have some fairly convincing studies linking curcumin with a general ability to reduce inflammation. What we are still lacking is high-quality evidence showing it can reduce arthritis pain and inflammation specifically.
The theory is there. It has not yet been definitively approved in practice.
Collagen
I consider this one to be similar to glucosamine and chondroitin. Yes, collagen is a component of the cartilage cap we all lose when we get arthritis.
But does drinking collagen powder every day magically restore the collagen in the cartilage of our joints? Especially when the first thing that happens in our digestive tract is a complete dismantling of collagen into its constituent amino acids?
I’m dubious. And there’s been no proof. And this stuff can be expensive.
I hope to update this article in ten years with an admission that I was dead wrong. But until then…
Supportive Devices: A Little Help Goes a Long Way
For hand arthritis, specially designed grips can make everyday tools easier to use. The classic example is the wide pen grip or the grip devices designed to help open jars.
I would urge you not to overlook this option — a few simple fixes can be absolute game-changers for many patients. Compression gloves can also provide warmth and gentle support while maintaining function.
For knee arthritis, a simple neoprene sleeve can provide stability and proprioceptive feedback (your brain's awareness of where your joint is in space). For more severe cases, fancier braces called unloader braces can shift weight away from the more damaged portion of your joint.
For foot and ankle arthritis, proper footwear is crucial. Shoes with good arch support and cushioning can significantly reduce pain. It can be a bit of a trial and error game unfortunately, but you’ll know when you’ve found your fit.
If all else fails, custom orthotics can be helpful in difficult cases.
When to Seek More Help
While these home strategies work for many people, they aren't enough for everyone. Consider seeing your doctor if:
Your pain isn't controlled with over-the-counter methods
You experience new or increasing swelling, redness, or warmth around a joint
Your symptoms interfere with daily activities or sleep
You notice a significant decrease in your range of motion
Remember. There (sadly) is no cure for arthritis. So we are stuck between the two options of managing arthritis or surgically removing the arthritis.
In many cases, a joint replacement is an option after the arthritis is surgically removed, but in some cases, the only option is to fuse the joint (permanently).
No doctor should ever tell you that you need an operation for arthritis. I tell my patients all the time, “Only you know how bad your symptoms are and how they interfere with life. You will tell me when it’s time.”
Takeaways:
Arthritis management works best with a multi-faceted approach combining medication, physical strategies, and lifestyle modifications
Movement is medicine — gentle, regular exercise helps more than rest for most types of arthritis
Supplements may help some people, but it’s important to have realistic expectations about their effects
Remember, while we can't reverse arthritis, most people can find significant relief with the right combination of strategies. The goal isn't to eliminate all symptoms but to keep pain at a manageable level so you can continue doing the activities that matter to you.
Stay tuned for future articles where we'll dive deeper into specific joints and how arthritis affects them differently.
We’re also probably due for a look into surgical options for arthritis and all the tradeoffs inherent to that important discussion.
