Medication guides
Medicines used in rheumatology
How each medicine works, how it’s taken, common side effects and the monitoring that keeps treatment safe. Brand names are listed for reference.
Pain & symptom relief
5 guides
Duloxetine
Cymbalta
A medicine that turns down pain signaling in the nervous system, used for fibromyalgia and chronic musculoskeletal pain.
Gabapentin
Neurontin, Gralise, Horizant (gabapentin enacarbil)
A nerve-calming medicine that turns down overactive pain signals. It is used for nerve pain, and sometimes for fibromyalgia and poor sleep from pain, but it does not treat inflammation or joint damage.
Joint Steroid Injections
Triamcinolone (Kenalog, Zilretta), methylprednisolone (Depo-Medrol)
A corticosteroid injected directly into a joint, bursa or tendon sheath to calm local inflammation.
NSAIDs
Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), meloxicam, diclofenac (Voltaren), celecoxib (Celebrex), indomethacin
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs ease pain, swelling and stiffness. They relieve symptoms but do not change the course of autoimmune disease.
Prednisone
Prednisone, prednisolone, methylprednisolone (Medrol)
A corticosteroid that quickly calms inflammation, often used to control flares while longer-term medicines take effect.
Pregabalin
Lyrica
A nerve-calming medicine used for fibromyalgia and nerve-related pain.
Conventional DMARDs & immunosuppressants
10 guides
Azathioprine
Imuran, Azasan
An immunosuppressant used to keep autoimmune disease under control and reduce the need for steroids.
Cyclophosphamide
Cytoxan
A strong immune-suppressing medicine reserved for severe, organ-threatening disease.
Hydroxychloroquine
Plaquenil
A gentle, long-used immune-modulating medicine that is a foundation of lupus treatment.
IVIG
Intravenous immune globulin (Gammagard, Privigen, Octagam and others)
Antibodies collected from thousands of healthy donors, given by infusion to rebalance the immune system.
Leflunomide
Arava
An oral DMARD that slows the immune cells driving rheumatoid arthritis.
Methotrexate
Otrexup, Rasuvo, RediTrex, Trexall, Xatmep
The cornerstone disease-modifying medicine for rheumatoid arthritis and a common treatment for many other inflammatory conditions.
Mycophenolate
CellCept, Myfortic
A powerful immunosuppressant widely used for lupus nephritis and other serious autoimmune disease.
Sulfasalazine
Azulfidine
An anti-inflammatory DMARD used for arthritis, especially when combined with other medicines.
Tacrolimus
Prograf, Envarsus, Astagraf
A calcineurin inhibitor that quiets T cells, used for lupus nephritis and some other autoimmune conditions.
Voclosporin
Lupkynis
A newer calcineurin inhibitor approved for active lupus nephritis.
Biologics
20 guides
Abatacept
Orencia
A biologic that stops T cells from fully switching on, calming the inflammatory chain at an early step.
Adalimumab
Humira and biosimilars (Amjevita, Cyltezo, Hadlima, Hyrimoz, Yuflyma, Simlandi, Idacio and others)
A TNF inhibitor biologic that blocks one of the main drivers of inflammation in arthritis.
Anakinra
Kineret
A short-acting IL-1 blocker used for autoinflammatory diseases and difficult gout.
Anifrolumab
Saphnelo
A biologic for lupus that blocks the type I interferon receptor.
Belimumab
Benlysta
The first biologic approved for lupus, which reduces the survival signals B cells depend on.
Bimekizumab
Bimzelx
A biologic that blocks both IL-17A and IL-17F.
Canakinumab
Ilaris
A long-acting IL-1 inhibitor.
Certolizumab
Cimzia
A TNF inhibitor with a structure that crosses the placenta very little.
Etanercept
Enbrel and biosimilars (Erelzi, Eticovo)
A TNF-blocking biologic used for inflammatory arthritis and psoriasis.
Golimumab
Simponi (injection), Simponi Aria (infusion)
A TNF inhibitor available as a monthly injection or an infusion every 8 weeks.
Guselkumab
Tremfya
An IL-23 inhibitor for psoriatic arthritis, psoriasis and bowel disease.
Infliximab
Remicade and biosimilars (Inflectra, Renflexis, Avsola), Zymfentra (under the skin)
An intravenous TNF inhibitor used for arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease.
Ixekizumab
Taltz
An IL-17A inhibitor with strong effects on skin and joints.
Mepolizumab
Nucala
An IL-5 blocker that lowers eosinophils, used for EGPA and severe asthma.
Risankizumab
Skyrizi
An IL-23 inhibitor given every 12 weeks.
Rituximab
Rituxan and biosimilars (Truxima, Ruxience, Riabni)
A biologic that removes B cells, the immune cells that make antibodies.
Sarilumab
Kevzara
An IL-6 receptor blocker given as an injection every two weeks.
Secukinumab
Cosentyx
An IL-17 inhibitor for psoriatic disease and spondyloarthritis.
Tocilizumab
Actemra and biosimilars (Tofidence, Tyenne)
A biologic that blocks the IL-6 receptor, a major inflammation pathway.
Ustekinumab
Stelara and biosimilars (Wezlana, Selarsdi, Pyzchiva, Otulfi and others)
A biologic that blocks IL-12 and IL-23, used in psoriatic disease and bowel disease.
Targeted oral therapies
5 guides
Apremilast
Otezla
An oral anti-inflammatory that gently dials down immune cell activity, with no routine blood monitoring.
Avacopan
Tavneos
An oral medicine that blocks a complement signal driving ANCA vasculitis, helping lower steroid use.
Baricitinib
Olumiant
An oral JAK inhibitor taken once a day.
Tofacitinib
Xeljanz
An oral JAK inhibitor that calms several inflammatory pathways at once.
Upadacitinib
Rinvoq
A selective JAK inhibitor used across many inflammatory conditions.
Gout medicines
4 guides
Allopurinol
Zyloprim, Aloprim
The first-choice medicine to lower uric acid and prevent gout flares over the long term.
Colchicine
Colcrys, Mitigare, Gloperba (liquid)
An anti-inflammatory used to treat and prevent gout flares and several other inflammatory conditions.
Febuxostat
Uloric
A uric acid-lowering alternative for people who cannot take allopurinol.
Pegloticase
Krystexxa
An infused enzyme that rapidly breaks down uric acid, used for severe gout.
Bone health
7 guides
Alendronate
Fosamax, Binosto
A widely used bisphosphonate that strengthens bone and lowers fracture risk.
Calcium & Vitamin D
Calcium carbonate or citrate; vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol)
The nutritional foundation for strong bones and for every osteoporosis treatment.
Denosumab
Prolia and biosimilars (Jubbonti, Ospomyv, Stoboclo, Conexxence)
An injection every 6 months that strongly reduces bone loss.
Risedronate
Actonel, Atelvia
An oral bisphosphonate with weekly or monthly options.
Romosozumab
Evenity
A bone-building antibody that both adds new bone and slows bone loss.
Teriparatide & Abaloparatide
Forteo, Bonsity (teriparatide); Tymlos (abaloparatide)
Daily bone-building injections for people at very high fracture risk.
Zoledronic Acid
Reclast
A yearly bisphosphonate infusion for osteoporosis.
Educational information only. Your own care plan should come from your physician, who knows your full history.