Before buying an arthritis cream, consult a health care professional, such as a rheumatologist or physical therapist, for expert guidance to determine whether using one of these products is safe for you—especially if you have vascular issues,asthma, allergies, skin disorders or if you take oral NSAIDs. You may also need to try different types of creams to find the one that works best for your needs.
Consider the following factors when beginning your search:
Active Ingredients
When choosing which cream works best for you, consider its listed active ingredients and how they might interact with your health needs and history. Common active ingredients in arthritis creams include:
Salicylatesare used to treat inflammation and pain that occur with osteoarthritis. Aspirin is a commonly known salicylate. While most salicylates can be obtained over the counter, some require prescription.
NSAIDsare common pain relievers often used to treat arthritis. These can be used topically, or taken in oral form, though topical application via creams has been noted to cause less side effects. A commonly known oral, over-the-counter NSAID is ibuprofen. Side effects of oral NSAIDS can include headaches, dizziness, indigestion, stomach ulcers and allergic reactions. In some cases, kidney problems and risk of heart attack and/or stroke can occur.
Anesthetics or analgesics, such as lidocaine, cause a numbing sensation by reducing nerve pain. Lidocaine does not decrease inflammation. It can be administered through a cream or patch and is available over-the-counter at 4% strength. Increased strength will require a prescription. Lidocaine is regarded to be safe, but can cause side effects, such as low blood pressure, drowsiness, nausea, dizziness, changes in vision and/or taste, flushed skin and ringing in ears.
Counterirritantslike camphor, menthol or aloe cause a cooling or warming or cooling sensation on the skin to provide pain relief. These ingredients are known to have little side effects, but their relief may dissipate once the cooling sensation has faded.
Capsaicin, the active ingredient found in chili peppers, has the opposite effect of counterirritants and offers a mild, tingling sensation when applied topically. This can help tamp down nerve pain. Arthritis creams containing this ingredient can cause a burning sensation on your skin, but this has been known to lessen after consistent daily use. Do not use capsaicin on broken skin and be sure to thoroughly wash hands after use and before touching your eyes.
Before choosing an arthritis cream, consult with your health care provider to determine which active ingredients might be right for you.
Type
As arthritis creams come in many forms, it’s important to find the type that will work best for your needs. If you want a product that requires thorough rubbing or massaging into the skin, opt for a cream, gel, salve, balm or ointment. Alternatively, arthritis sprays and roll-on products don’t require much if any massaging and carry the benefit of little mess. Patches that release pain-relieving medication also offer an on-the-go option.
Generally, topical arthritis creams are considered to be safe, effective and have less side effects than oral medication options.
Budget
While arthritis creams aren’t exactly a “break the bank” purchase, there is a broad price range that can fit any budget. Of the products we reviewed for this piece, price points range from about $6 up to nearly $100 depending on the brand, size and type of arthritis cream you opt for.
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER 
Partner Offers feature brands who paid Forbes Health to appear at the top of our list. While this may influence where their products or services appear on our site, it in no way affects our ratings, which are based on thorough research, solid methodologies and expert advice. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services
Batch Topical CBD Balm
- Boosted with lavender and tea tree oils to calm irritated areas
- Enriched with jojoba oil and essential oils for quick absorption
- Subtle fresh scent of lavender, tea tree, and eucalyptus
- Non-GMO & paraben-free
On Batch's Website
