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Drugs for Arthritis Pain
Return to main article:
Drugs for Arthritis Pain
The following drugs are commonly used to treat arthritis pain. Listed are the drugs’ generic names followed (in parentheses) by their brand names. In many cases, only a generic version of the drug is available.
DRUG NAME | TYPICAL DOSE |
|
NSAIDs: Nonselective |
|
| Aspirin | 325 milligrams (mg) every 4–6 hours |
| Diclofenac (Voltaren) | 50–100 mg every 8–12 hours |
| Etodolac | 200–400 mg every 6–8 hours |
| Flurbiprofen (Ansaid) | 50–100 mg every 6–12 hours |
| Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB) | 200–800 mg every 4–6 hours |
| Indomethacin (Indocin) | 25–75 mg every 8–12 hours |
| Ketoprofen | 25–200 mg every 6–24 hours |
| Ketorolac | 10 mg every 4–6 hours |
| Mefenamic acid (Ponstel) | 250 mg every 6 hours |
| Meloxicam (Mobic) | 7.5–15 mg every 12–24 hours |
| Nabumetone (Relafen) | 500–750 mg every 8–12 hours |
| Naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn) | 220–750 mg every 6–24 hours |
| Oxaprozin (Daypro) | 600–1,200 mg every 12–24 hours |
| Piroxicam (Feldene) | 20 mg every 24 hours |
| Sulindac (Clinoril) | 150–200 mg every 12 hours |
|
NSAIDs: COX-2 Inhibitor |
|
| Celecoxib (Celebrex) | 50–200 mg every 12 hours |
|
Pure Analgesics: Nonopioid |
|
| Acetaminophen (Tylenol) | 325–650 mg every 4–6 hours |
|
Pure Analgesics: “Weak” Opioids |
|
| Tapentadol (Nucynta) | 50–100 mg every 4–6 hours |
| Tramadol (Ultram) | 50–300 mg every 4–24 hours |
|
Pure Analgesics: Opioids |
|
| Codeine | 30–60 mg every 4–6 hours |
| Fentanyl (Duragesic [patch], Fentora) | 12–100 micrograms (mcg) every 72 hours |
| Hydrocodone (Vicodin) | 5–10 mg every 4–6 hours |
| Hydromorphone (Dilaudid) | 2–8 mg every 4–6 hours |
| Meperidine (Demerol) | 50–100 mg every 4 hours |
| Morphine (Avinza, Kadian, MS Contin) | 15–200 mg every 4–24 hours |
| Oxycodone (OxyContin) | 10–80 mg every 4–13 hours |
| Oxymorphone (Opana) | 5–40 mg every 4–6 hours |
|
Antidepressants: Tricyclics |
|
| Amitriptyline | 10–150 mg every 24 hours |
| Doxepin | 10–150 mg every 24 hours |
| Nortriptyline (Pamelor) | 10–75 mg every 24 hours |
|
Antidepressants: Serotonin–Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs) |
|
| Duloxetine (Cymbalta) | 20–60 mg every 24 hours |
| Milnacipran (Savella) | 12.5–100 mg every 12 hours |
|
Anticonvulsants |
|
| Gabapentin (Neurontin) | 100–800 mg every 8 hours |
| Pregabalin (Lyrica) | 25–300 mg every 12 hours |
