Life gets hard when your joints hurt—lifting everyday objects and tending to household chores can become near-impossible tasks. Arthritis is the most common cause of joint pain, but you can have swelling and pain in your joints from fractures, sprains, osteoporosis, tendinitis, the flu, other infectious diseases, and autoimmune diseases such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.

The best home remedies for joint pain include warm baths, gentle stretching, and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory pain relievers. Joint pain that lasts three days or longer will need evaluation by your health care provider, who will want to know how long you’ve had pain, if the pain came on suddenly, if the pain is relieved by over-the-counter pain relievers, and if you have fever associated with the onset of pain. It’s also important to note if resting makes the pain worse or better.


Arthritis was commonly treated with prescription drugs called COX-2 inhibitors until recently, when several manufacturers of popular drugs including Vioxx and Bextra voluntarily withdrew the drugs from the market under advisement from the Food and Drug Administration. These medications were pulled from the shelves after research demonstrated increased risks of serious cardiovascular (CV) events, including heart attacks and strokes, when the drugs were used for long periods.

In April 2005, the FDA issued a public advisory about all COX-2 inhibitors, including Celebrex, stressing concerns for similar side effects. In reviewing the evidence, the FDA concluded that the benefits of Celebrex outweigh the potential risks in people who are good candidates for the drug and who understand the long-term risks. The FDA is allowing Celebrex to remain on the market with new labeling. The FDA also opened investigations into side effects of over-the-counter NSAIDs and in July released new labeling information to draw attention to the increased risks associated with these drugs.

The new boxed warnings on all of these classes of drugs highlight the potential for increased risk of CV events with these drugs and the serious (and potentially life-threatening) gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding associated with their use. The FDA is also requiring that a medication guide accompany every prescription NSAID at the time it is dispensed to better inform patients about the CV and GI risks.

Some people are turning to the supplements glucosamine and chondroitin, although their long-term safety and effectiveness is still unknown. Tell your health care provider if you’re taking these supplements, because they might interact with other drugs you’re taking. Arthritis is not something you just have to live with. The sooner you seek treatment, the more effective treatment can be.