Joint pain: Management
Managing joint pain
Joint pain can impinge on all areas of a person’s life, particularly in older individuals.
Together with education, a range of pharmacological and non-pharmacological techniques is available to help manage pain and flare-ups1,2 and help keep patients moving.
Guideline recommendations for treating joint pain
Guidelines recommend a stepped approach to management2,3–5
Management of osteoarthritis may require a combination of non-pharmacological and pharmacological modalities.2,5
Guidelines* recommend a stepwise strategy for the pharmacological management of osteoarthritis.2,3-5
*From the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) and American College of Rheumatology (ACR).
More than one pain treatment might be needed
Additional support might be needed to cover pain flares
Chronic joint pain is often accompanied by acute inflammatory flares.6
During this flare-up pain, patients may require additional short-term pain relief.6
How can Nora and Wendy be helped?
Nora
Nora wakes with joint pain and stiffness each morning.
She wants sustained relief from her pain so she can return to the activities she enjoys, like walking and spending time with her grandchildren. However, she is concerned about treatment side effects.
Nora needs to regain her mobility by easing joint pain.
Voltaren Emulgel 1.16% relieves pain, reduces inflammation and speeds up healing.
Topical diclofenac has a low systemic absorption, meaning a lower risk of systemic side effects.21
Max
Max has experienced intermittent knee pain for 5 years. The pain disrupts his sleep and limits his previously active lifestyle and social life making him feel anxious and depressed.
His doctor recommended weight loss and exercise as a remedy. But chronic pain creates a lack of motivation and he feels his pain prevents him from exercising.
Voltaren Emulgel 1.16% relieves pain, reduces inflammation and speeds up healing.
Understanding joint pain
Signs and symptoms
Explore an overview of how to recognise joint pain and know when to refer patients.
Overview of sprains and strains
Find out about how common sprains and strains are, and meet two patients with these problems.
Learn more
Conditions
Our overviews of common pain conditions explore the causes, signs, symptoms and impact of each condition, and summarise the latest evidence-based management recommendations.
Patient care resources
Access educational resources to share with your patients, to help them have a better understanding of their pain condition.