Pain Management in Rheumatoid Arthritis: What’s Adequate-and Appropriate?

November 27, 2018

Scroll through the slides for a review of the many options available to help reduce pain and improve function.

In this slide show, I provide an overview of recent European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines and Cochrane reviews on pain management for patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Scroll through the slides for a review of the many options available to help reduce pain and improve function.

EULAR, European League Against Rheumatism.

CBT, cognitive-behavioral therapy; EULAR, European League Against Rheumatism.

COX, cyclo-oxygenase; GI, gastrointestinal; NICE, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence; NSAID, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug; PPI, proton pump inhibitor.

NICE, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence; RA, rheumatoid arthritis; TENS, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation.

NSAID, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug; RA, rheumatoid arthritis.

EULAR, European League Against Rheumatism; NICE, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence; NSAID, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug; RA, rheumatoid arthritis.

Sources1. Geenen R, Overman CL, Christensen R, et al. EULAR recommendations for the health professional's approach to pain management in inflammatory arthritis and osteoarthritis. Ann Rheum Dis. 2018;77:797-807.
2. NICE guideline [NG100]. Rheumatoid arthritis in adults: management. July 2018.
3. Colebatch AN, Marks JL, Edwards CJ, et al. Safety of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, including aspirin and paracetamol (acetaminophen) in people receiving methotrexate for inflammatory arthritis (rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, other spondyloarthritis). Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2011 Nov 9;(11):CD008872.
4. Richards BL, Whittle SL, Buchbinder R. Neuromodulators for pain management in rheumatoid arthritis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012 Jan 18;1:CD008921.
5. Richards BL, Whittle SL, Buchbinder R. Muscle relaxants for pain management in rheumatoid arthritis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012 Jan 18;1:CD008922.
6. Whittle SL, Richards BL, Husni E, et al. Opioid therapy for treating rheumatoid arthritis pain. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2011 Nov 9;(11):CD003113.