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Hip pain
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Non-Surgical Care
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Non-Surgical Care

Smart, Safe Medication for Hip Pain

What medication helps hip arthritis pain the most?

For hip arthritis, oral anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, naproxen or prescription meloxicam usually help most, when they are safe for you. Acetaminophen is a gentler option for some people. Dr. Stride reviews your kidneys, stomach, heart and other medicines first and uses the lowest dose that keeps you active.

Medication is one tool in the plan. Used well, it calms a flare enough for you to keep walking, do your therapy and sleep through the night. Dr. Stride matches the medicine to the cause of your pain and your overall health, and avoids long-term opioids for arthritis.

Written and medically reviewed by Dr. Stride, MD, board-certified orthopedic surgeon
Last reviewed October 2026
Grandfather kneeling on the floor to build blocks with his grandson

At a glance

Also called
anti-inflammatory for hip pain, NSAIDs for hip arthritis, pain reliever for hip arthritis, meloxicam for hip
Typical recovery
Follow-up
Ask about Hip Pain Medication →(713) 555-0168

Is this right for you?

Usually a good fit if

  • Hip arthritis flares after a long day on your feet or a weekend tournament
  • Tendon or bursa pain that limits sleep while therapy gets started
  • People taking over-the-counter pills daily who want to know if it is safe
  • Adults bridging to a planned hip replacement

Another option may be better if

  • NSAIDs for people with kidney disease, a history of stomach ulcers or bleeding, or those taking blood thinners, unless cleared by their physician
  • Opioids for chronic hip arthritis, where risks usually outweigh the benefit
  • Long-term medication as a substitute for diagnosing a hip that keeps getting worse

What happens, step by step

  1. A medication review

    Bring a list of everything you take, including supplements. Dr. Stride checks for interactions with blood pressure medicines, blood thinners and diabetes drugs, and asks about stomach, kidney and heart history.

  2. Choosing the right medicine

    Oral NSAIDs such as ibuprofen, naproxen, meloxicam or celecoxib reduce both pain and inflammation. Acetaminophen is easier on the stomach and kidneys but usually less effective for arthritis. For some people with widespread arthritis pain, duloxetine is an option.

  3. A clear dosing plan

    You get a specific dose, timing and length of use, such as a 2-week course during a flare. Taking NSAIDs with food and avoiding two NSAIDs at once lowers the risk of side effects.

  4. Building the rest of the plan

    Medication does the most good alongside therapy, activity changes and, when needed, a hip injection. The goal is to need less of it over time.

Typical recovery timeline

First 1 to 3 days

Pain relief from NSAIDs or acetaminophen usually starts within an hour, while the anti-inflammatory effect builds over several days.

Weeks 1 to 2

Most flares settle enough for normal walking and therapy. Report stomach pain, black stools or swelling in the legs right away.

Weeks 2 to 6

Many people taper down to as-needed use as strength and activity improve.

Ongoing use

If you need daily NSAIDs long term, your primary care physician should check blood pressure and kidney function regularly.

Follow-up

If medicine is no longer enough, Dr. Stride discusses injections or surgical options.

Timelines are typical ranges. Your plan depends on your hip, your health and what was done in surgery.

“I would rather you take the right anti-inflammatory for two weeks and get back to your walks than take random pills for two years. The aim is to calm the hip enough to rebuild strength. If you need more and more medicine just to get through the day, that tells me it is time to talk about the next step.”

Dr. Stride, MD

Frequently asked questions

Is it safe to take ibuprofen every day for hip pain?

Short courses are safe for most healthy adults, but daily long-term use raises the risk of stomach bleeding, kidney strain and high blood pressure. Check with Dr. Stride or your primary care physician before using any NSAID daily for more than a couple of weeks. Taking it with food and at the lowest effective dose helps.

Do arthritis creams help hip pain?

Topical NSAID gels work well for joints close to the skin, such as the knee and hand. The hip joint sits deep under thick muscle, so creams tend to help less there. They can still ease sore muscles and side-of-hip tendon pain for some people.

Do glucosamine or turmeric help hip arthritis?

Research on glucosamine and chondroitin has not shown a consistent benefit for hip arthritis, and current guidelines do not recommend them. Turmeric has limited evidence and can interact with blood thinners. Tell our team about any supplements you take.

Can acetaminophen and ibuprofen be taken together?

Many adults can safely combine them, since they work differently and are processed by different organs. Stay within the daily limit on each label, and lower the acetaminophen dose if you drink alcohol regularly or have liver disease. Ask before combining if you have kidney, stomach or heart problems.

Related treatments

Non-surgical

Hip Physical Therapy

Physical therapy helps many types of hip pain, including arthritis, gluteal tendinopathy, hip impingement and many labral tears.

Read more →Injections

Cortisone Hip Injection

A cortisone hip injection places a corticosteroid and numbing medicine directly into the hip joint, guided by ultrasound or X-ray.

Read more →Non-surgical

Hip Activity & Weight Plan

An activity and weight plan can meaningfully reduce hip pain, especially from arthritis.

Read more →Replacement

Total Hip Replacement

Total hip replacement replaces the worn ball and socket of an arthritic hip with a metal, ceramic and medical-grade plastic implant.

Read more →

Hip pain this can help with

Hip pain · Front of hip

Pain in the Front of the Hip and Groin

Front of hip and groin pain usually comes from inside the hip joint itself.

Causes & treatment →Hip pain · Back of hip

Pain in the Back of the Hip and Buttock

Pain in the back of the hip and buttock most often comes from the lower back, such as a pinched nerve or sciatica, or from the sacroiliac joint.

Causes & treatment →Hip pain · symptom

Hip Stiffness and Loss of Motion

A stiff hip is most often caused by hip osteoarthritis, which reduces rotation and makes socks, shoes and getting out of a car harder.

Causes & treatment →Hip pain · symptom

Hip Pain at Night

Hip pain at night is most often caused by greater trochanteric pain syndrome, where lying on the side compresses the gluteal tendons, or by hip osteoarthritis, which can ache at rest as it advances.

Causes & treatment →Hip pain · symptom

Hip Pain When Walking

Hip pain when walking is most often caused by hip osteoarthritis, which brings a groin ache and a limp, or by gluteal tendinopathy, which causes outer hip pain.

Causes & treatment →Hip pain · symptom

Pain After Hip Replacement

Pain after hip replacement is normal for the first several weeks and usually fades steadily over about 3 months.

Causes & treatment →
SourcesReferences used for this page3

Medically reviewed by Dr. Stride, MD against current guidance from these sources. Last reviewed October 2026. How we write and review content

  1. Over-the-counter pain relievers (opens in a new tab) MedlinePlus
  2. NSAIDs (Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs): Uses (opens in a new tab) Cleveland Clinic
  3. 2019 American College of Rheumatology/Arthritis Foundation Guideline for the Management of Osteoarthritis of the Hand, Hip, and Knee (opens in a new tab) PubMed
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