Anti-inflammatories, non-steroidal - Alternatives to NSAIDs

If you have been advised not to take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), a number of alternative treatments can be used.

Alternatives for some of the most common conditions treated with NSAIDs are listed below.

Pain

If you need medication to treat pain, paracetamol can be used in almost all cases. An exception to this would be in cases of severe liver disease where lower doses must be used because paracetamol in full doses can damage the liver.

You should seek advice from a pain specialist before taking painkillers other than NSAIDs, paracetamol or aspirin.

There are also a number of non-drug-based treatments for pain, such as:

physiotherapy
acupuncture
talking therapies, such as cognitive behavioural therapy, which are designed to help you cope better with pain

Gout

If you have gout, a medication called colchicine, or oral steroids are an effective alternative to using an NSAID.

Osteoarthritis

Alternative treatments for osteoarthritis include:

codeine – a mild opiate-based painkiller
capsaicin cream – which helps block the nerves from sending pain signals to the brain
corticosteroid injections – these help to reduce the symptoms of acute pain and swelling
surgery – such as a hip replacement or knee replacement

Rheumatoid arthritis

Alternative treatments for rheumatoid arthritis include:

codeine – a mild opiate-based painkiller
oral corticosteroids are occasionally used
corticosteroid injections – these help to reduce the symptoms of pain and swelling
disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) – a type of medication that can help to ease symptoms and slow down the progression of rheumatoid arthritis
biological treatments – newer medications such as TNF-alpha inhibitors which work by stopping particular chemicals in the blood from activating your immune system