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The Best Arthritis Pain Relief Creams Of 2025, According To Rheumatologists
Your joints are often one of the first places you'll feel your age. Just getting out of bed each morning can produce a chorus of cracks and a symphony of soreness, and rather than reaching for a bottle of pain relievers (which carry serious potential side effects), why not rub relief right on the source of the pain?
Quick Overview
Best overall Voltaren Topical Arthritis Pain Relief Gel
Best budget Capzasin Arthritis Pain Quick Relief
Best odor-free Aspercreme Lidocaine Pain Relief Cream
Best non-greasy Bengay Ultra Strength Topical Pain Relief Cream
Best numbing Tylenol Precise Maximum Strength 4% Lidocaine Pain Relieving Cream
Best penetrating pain relief JointFlex Pain Relieving Cream
Best homeopathic Boiron Arnicare Arthritis Cream See 2 more
Topical arthritis pain relievers are creams or gels that you rub on your skin directly over the painful joint. The cream absorbs into your skin, making these products ideal for joints that sit right underneath the surface, like your knees and hands. Arthritis creams often contain a variety of ingredients, including salicylates, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen and ketoprofen, lidocaine, menthol, and/or capsaicin.
Arthritis pain relief creams are often the first choice of therapy recommended by doctors for osteoarthritis pain, as creams are more targeted than oral drugs and don't travel throughout your body. "You don't see some of the systemic [body-wide] side effects of the oral therapies," says Ethan Craig, MD, assistant professor of clinical medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and rheumatologist at Penn Medicine.
To help you sift through the multitude of topical pain relievers online and at your local drugstore, we asked a few rheumatologists to explain which ingredients work best for soothing sore joints. We've broken down our picks into categories like budget, scent, and feel.
VOLTAREN
Active Ingredients: Diclofenac sodiumDose: 2.25 inches (2 grams) for each upper body area (hand, wrist, or elbow), or 4.5 inches (4 grams) for each lower body area (foot, ankle, or knee)How to Use: Apply 4 times a day, every day, but don't use on more than two body areas at the same time
The main ingredient in Voltaren is the NSAID diclofenac. Topical diclofenac is "strongly recommended" by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and the Arthritis Foundation as the first treatment for knee osteoarthritis (OA). These organizations also recommend topical diclofenac for hand OA, although the evidence isn't quite as strong as it is for arthritis in the knee.
Diclofenac has the best evidence to back up its effectiveness. "That's often the one we're reaching for first, particularly in patients with osteoarthritis," Dr. Craig explains. Research suggests that topical NSAIDs work about as well as pills, minus the GI and cardiovascular side effects. That makes Voltaren a good fit for people over 65, especially those with existing stomach problems or heart risks.
Not only is this product a top pick among doctors, but many reviewers also give Voltaren Arthritis Pain Relief Gel high marks. They praise the topical cream for its ease of use and quick-acting relief, especially in joints like the knees and feet. Just keep in mind you'll have to use it often to see an improvement in pain: "The most important aspect of topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories is that you need to use them at least three to four times a day or they are unlikely to give much pain relief," says Lisa A. Mandl, MD, rheumatologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery.
Pros
Capzasin
Active Ingredients: Capsaicin, mentholDose: Use desired amountHow to Use: Adults over 18 years, massage into the painful area until fully absorbed; don't use more than three to four times per day
The active ingredient in Capzasin Arthritis Pain Quick Relief is capsaicin, the same chemical that gives chili peppers their heat. No surprise, then, that you'll feel some warmth and tingling on your skin when you apply it. There's good evidence to back up the effectiveness of capsaicin, including a 2018 review of randomized-controlled studies that found it just as effective as topical NSAIDs for arthritis pain relief.
The ACR and Arthritis Foundation "conditionally" recommend capsaicin for knee OA, adding the "conditional" part mainly because the studies that tested it were small and not well designed. These organizations don't recommend using capsaicin to treat hand OA, though, as you might inadvertently get the cream into your eye if it's on your hands — and it will burn.
Capsaicin not only relieves arthritis pain quickly, but it blocks a chemical in your body called substance P that sends pain signals to your brain. This means it may offer even more pain relief after you've been using it for a couple of weeks. However, the side effects could tempt you to stop sooner: "Topical capsaicin creams often cause burning and irritation, which is to be expected. This can be irritating or even painful," says Dr. Mandl. "This discomfort usually subsides, and it is worth trying to push through to see if it can give you relief."
ProsAspercreme
Active Ingredients: Lidocaine HCLDose: Use a thin layerHow to Use: Adults and children 12 years and older, apply to affected area every 6 to 8 hours and massage until thoroughly absorbed into the skin
One of the biggest complaints people have about rub-on arthritis pain relievers is the smell, but Aspercreme gets high marks from users for relieving arthritis pain without the odor.
Lidocaine is the main ingredient in Aspercreme. "Lidocaine is an anesthetic, so it will numb on the outside where you apply it," says Renee Enriquez, MD, a rehab and pain management expert at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Doctors often use lidocaine to numb their patients' skin during minor procedures, and it's meant to work the same way against arthritis pain.
How well lidocaine actually works for arthritis is somewhat of an unknown. While a few small studies have shown its potential for relieving OA pain, there isn't enough evidence for the ACR/Arthritis Foundation to officially recommend it. Still, it's worth a try if you're looking for a cream that's budget-friendly and odor-free.
ProsBengay
Active Ingredients: Camphor, menthol, methyl salicylateDose: Use desired amountHow to Use: Adults and children 12 years and older, apply to affected area no more than three or four times daily
Camphor and menthol are the ingredients that give Bengay its recognizable — and sometimes eye-watering — aroma. These ingredients are called counterirritants, which means they create a cooling or warming sensation on your skin that essentially distracts you from your pain.
This product earns points with users for working quickly and not leaving a greasy residue on the skin. Bengay is generally considered safe to use, but because its ingredients don't affect pain signals like other arthritis creams, any relief you get may be short-lived. As soon as the cooling or warming sensation wears off, the achiness will generally return.
Pros
TYLENOL
Active Ingredients: LidocaineDose: Use desired amountHow to Use: Adults and children 12 years and older, apply to affected area no more than three or four times daily
Tylenol's rub-on arthritis cream has lidocaine as its main ingredient, at a max dose of 4%. The product is fragrance- and dye-free, and the rollerball applicator makes it easy and less messy to apply the cream to areas like the back, hips, and legs.
Again, the effectiveness of lidocaine is somewhat questionable given the lack of research, but many users give it five stars and say it offers fast-acting relief. Some praise the rollerball applicator for its cooling sensation and the massage it gives your muscles as you rub it in. However, some reviewers do say that this product doesn't offer as much pain relief as other creams.
Pros
JointFlex
Active Ingredients: CamphorDose: Use a generous amountHow to Use: Apply to painful muscles and joints up to four times daily for at least two weeks
This product contains the counterirritant camphor to distract from arthritis pain, but it adds glucosamine and chondroitin, which are building blocks of the cartilage that lines and protects joints. The theory is that these ingredients might help keep joints healthy.
Many studies have investigated glucosamine and chondroitin supplements for OA, with inconsistent results. As for their effectiveness in cream form, the research is even more limited. One small study from 2003 found that the ingredients in JointFlex improved knee OA pain compared to a placebo (inactive treatment), and the benefits were apparent within four weeks after participants started using the product.
The manufacturer of JointFlex boasts that its exclusive Fusome technology enables the cream to penetrate the skin's top two layers and deliver active ingredients directly to the painful joint. Plus, because the medicine releases gradually, it may help the effects last longer.
ProsBoiron
Active Ingredients: Arnica, harpagophytumDose: Apply a thin layerHow to Use: Adults and children ages 12 and older, apply to affected area when symptoms start, up to four times a day
For those who want a more natural solution to arthritis pain relief, Boiron offers this arnica-based cream. If you're not familiar with it, arnica montana is a plant that's been used in homeopathic medicine for hundreds of years. Its supposed benefits include reducing inflammation, healing wounds, and treating bruises.
A few studies have shown that arnica extract gel moderately improves pain from hand and knee arthritis. Adding other herbs could have a synergistic effect, which is why Boiron's arnicare cream also contains Devil's claw (harpagophytum), a fruit from southern Africa that's used to reduce arthritis pain and inflammation.
Many users are happy with Arnicare's effects: "I always keep it on hand for those pesky arthritis aches and pains," wrote one reviewer. Others said they didn't get much, if any, pain relief from this product.
ProsTo compile this list, our team compared a wide range of products containing different ingredients. We sought advice from rheumatologists and read through medical studies and clinical guidelines to find out which arthritis pain-relieving ingredients have the most evidence to back them up. We also sifted through hundreds of reviews to see what real users thought about these products.
Types of arthritis pain relief creamsThese products contain a number of different ingredients, some of which have more research behind them than others:
NSAIDs: Creams containing diclofenac, such as Voltaren Topical Arthritis Pain Relief Gel, have some of the best evidence to prove their effectiveness. Because topical NSAIDs offer good pain relief without the side effects of oral NSAIDs, rheumatologists recommend them as a first treatment for knee and hand OA.
Capsaicin: The chemical that gives chili peppers their spice, capsaicin relieves OA by blocking pain signals. Because capsaicin can burn when applied, make sure it doesn't get into your eyes, mucous membranes, or open wounds, advises Dr. Craig.
Salicylates: You'll find salicylates in products like Aspercreme and Bengay. "This is the active ingredient in aspirin, which blocks inflammation and is an analgesic," explains Dr. Enriquez.
Camphor/Menthol: These ingredients don't stop pain. Instead, they act as counterirritants, essentially distracting you from your discomfort.
Lidocaine: This is the same anesthetic that doctors use to numb the skin during medical procedures, and it can help to block arthritis pain signals.
Glucosamine and chondroitin: These substances are the building blocks of healthy cartilage. A lot of research has been done on glucosamine and chondroitin supplements for arthritis pain, with mixed results. Whether they improve arthritis pain in topical form remains to be seen.
Homeopathic ingredients: Arnica is a plant-based substance that may help to reduce inflammation. Emu cream, made from the fat of the bird with the same name, is also thought to have anti-inflammatory properties, says Dr. Enriquez.
With so many creams on the market, focus on these features to help narrow down your search:
Proven ingredients: NSAIDs and capsaicin have the most evidence for relieving arthritis pain, according to the experts we spoke with.
Price: Arthritis creams can vary significantly in price from $5 to over $20 a bottle. Look for products that fit your budget, taking into account that you may have to repurchase the cream on a regular basis if you're applying it several times per day.
Ingredients: Look at not only the active ingredient(s), but also the inactive ones. "If it's topical diclofenac mixed with a lot of other ingredients, you don't entirely know what you're getting," explains Dr. Craig. You'll also want to make sure that product doesn't contain any ingredients you've had an allergic reaction to in the past.
Cream vs. Gel: Topical pain relievers come in multiple forms. Creams tend to get absorbed into the skin more easily, while gels can feel greasy.
Feel and scent: These qualities are a matter of personal preference. "Different brands have different textures or smells, so it can be helpful for people to try different formulations to find one that they like," suggests Dr. Mandl.
What's the most effective painkiller for arthritis?
NSAIDs are the most effective pain relievers for OA, according to the Arthritis Foundation. You may want to start with topical NSAIDs, because research shows they relieve knee OA pain just as well as pills — but with fewer side effects.
Does Voltaren gel really work for arthritis?
Voltaren Topical Arthritis Pain Relief Gel is a topical NSAID that has been shown to relieve knee and hand OA pain. Of all the arthritis creams available, it's the product with the best evidence to support it, according to our experts.
What is the best cream to use for arthritis?
NSAIDs and capsaicin are the two topical products that have been proven most effective for arthritis. "These are the only two that I consistently recommend," says Dr. Mandl. As such, Voltaren Topical Arthritis Pain Relief Gel and Capzasin Arthritis Pain Quick Relief are our top overall recommendations for the best arthritis pain relief creams.
Does anything really help arthritis pain?
If topical creams aren't working for you, there are several other treatments that can help with arthritis pain, including medications like acetaminophen (Tylenol), oral and topical NSAIDs like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB) and Voltaren, physical therapy, and steroid injections.
Meet our expertsEthan Craig, MD, MHS, is an assistant professor of clinical medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and rheumatologist at Penn Medicine.
Renee Enriquez, MD, is a rehab and pain management expert at UT Southwestern Medical Center.
Lisa A. Mandl, MD, MPH, is a rheumatologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS).
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