An interesting article in The Lancet earlier this year looked at which painkillers were best in patients with hip and knee arthritis. Diclofenac (Voltarol) works well, but anti-inflammatories do have significant side effects and aren’t suitable for everyone. Please get in touch if you would like more information.

Here’s a summary of the article:

‘On the basis of the available data, we see no role for single-agent paracetamol for the treatment of patients with osteoarthritis irrespective of dose. We provide sound evidence that diclofenac 150 mg/day is the most effective NSAID available at present, in terms of improving both pain and function. Nevertheless, in view of the safety profile of these drugs, physicians need to consider our results together with all known safety information when selecting the preparation and dose for individual patients.’