What painkiller is safe for knee pain?

This is general information

The right medicine depends on your age, other conditions and the tablets you already take. Read the label, do not exceed the stated dose, and ask a pharmacist or your doctor before starting anything new, especially if you have a long-term illness or are pregnant.

The usual options

• Paracetamol: gentle on the stomach and suitable for many people, though for knee arthritis its effect is often modest; it is also found in many cold and flu remedies, so avoid doubling up
• Topical anti-inflammatory gels, such as diclofenac or ibuprofen gel: useful for the knee because it sits close to the skin, and much less of the medicine reaches the bloodstream than with tablets
• Anti-inflammatory tablets, such as ibuprofen or naproxen: can ease pain and swelling, ideally kept to the lowest dose for the shortest time, taken with food
• Stronger prescription painkillers: these have more side effects and are generally not a long-term answer for knee pain

Who should be careful with anti-inflammatory tablets

• People with a history of stomach ulcers, stomach bleeding or reflux
• People with kidney disease, heart disease, high blood pressure or heart failure
• Anyone taking blood thinners, aspirin or certain blood pressure medicines
• People with asthma that worsens with these medicines
• Pregnant women, particularly later in pregnancy
• Older adults, who are more prone to side effects

Do not take two anti-inflammatory medicines together, for example two different tablets, as the risks add up.

Painkillers are a bridge, not the cure

Medication is most useful when it lets you keep moving and doing your exercises. If you need painkillers most days for more than a couple of weeks, the cause deserves an examination.

At Aman Hospital in Doha, Dr. Gelber looks for the cause of the pain and discusses options such as physiotherapy, weight management, injections or, when appropriate, surgery, so that you are not relying on tablets alone.