4. Opioids cause more pain
Opioids are basically narcotics, which block feelings of pain and even if they are supposed to numb pain, researchers noticed an unusual phenomenon when it comes to taking these painkillers. “I would 100 percent never advise taking opioids for arthritis pain,” says Dr. Colvin.
Why that’s good advice: A study published in JAMA involving 240 osteoarthritis patients showed that those who took opioids were in slightly more pain after a year than those who took non-opioid medication.
The researchers aren’t sure why, but given that these drugs can be very addictive, they recommend against opioids.
