Opioid painkillers might temporarily ease the discomfort of arthritis, but they have no clear lasting benefit, a research review finds.
In an analysis of 23 clinical trials, researchers found, on average, opioid medications were somewhat effective at easing pain in patients with osteoarthritis. That is the common form of arthritis in which cartilage cushioning the joints gradually wears down, leading to swelling, stiffness, and pain.
