The short answer
Arthritis treatment in Nigeria depends on which arthritis you have. Wear-and-tear osteoarthritis is treated with exercise, weight loss, physiotherapy and careful pain relief, and an operation only when those fail. Rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and other inflammatory arthritis need a rheumatologist and specific medicines started early, because the damage happens in the first months. Gout needs a uric acid lowering medicine taken every day. The first step is finding out which one it is.
Book a rheumatologist, from ₦100,000Medically reviewed by Dr Debo Odulana, Founder and Chief Executive, Mezo. Last reviewed . This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Care is decided with you after an examination.
Why "arthritis medicine" from the chemist is not enough
Many people in Nigeria are told they have arthritis, or rheumatism, and are given painkillers, an ointment and sometimes a steroid injection, month after month. Painkillers ease the pain but do nothing for inflammatory arthritis, where the immune system is attacking the joint. Repeated steroid tablets or injections bought without a plan thin the bones, raise blood sugar and blood pressure, and hide the disease while it does damage.
Herbal mixtures and 'bitters' sold for joint pain are not tested, and some have been linked to kidney and liver harm. Tell your doctor about every one you take.
The three common kinds, and how each is treated
Most joint pain in adults is one of these. Each has a different first treatment.
- Osteoarthritis: pain worse with use, short morning stiffness, usually knees, hips and hands after 45. Exercise, weight loss and physiotherapy first; a joint replacement only for advanced disease that still limits life.
- Rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory arthritis: swollen finger, wrist or foot joints, stiffness for more than an hour in the morning, tiredness. Disease-modifying medicines from a rheumatologist, ideally within three months of symptoms starting.
- Gout: sudden, very painful attacks, often the big toe, overnight. Treatment for the attack, then a daily medicine that lowers uric acid to stop the attacks coming back.
Who to see first
See a rheumatologist first if several joints are swollen, if stiffness lasts more than an hour each morning, if joint pain comes with a rash, mouth ulcers or fevers, or if back pain began before 45 and eases when you move. See an orthopaedic surgeon first if a joint was injured, locks or gives way, or if you already know you have advanced osteoarthritis and want to talk about a replacement. For wear-and-tear pain without swelling, physiotherapy can start straight away.
A single hot, red, swollen joint with a fever, or with feeling sick and shivery, can be an infection inside the joint. It needs a hospital today, not a booking.
What it costs on Mezo
A first rheumatology consultation is from ₦100,000, with the rheumatologist's own fee shown before you pay. The common arthritis blood tests are priced on Mezo and paid online: anti-CCP ₦48,000, ESR ₦8,000 and uric acid ₦12,000. Medicines and X-rays are priced before they are ordered.
What it costs on Mezo
One fixed price, paid online.
Common questions
Can arthritis be cured?
Osteoarthritis cannot be reversed, but most people's pain and movement improve with exercise and weight loss. Rheumatoid arthritis is not cured but can be put into remission. Gout is controlled for good once uric acid is kept low.
Is it safe to keep taking steroid injections for arthritis?
An occasional steroid injection into one joint, given by a doctor, can calm a flare. Regular steroid injections or tablets without a diagnosis and a plan cause harm of their own, including thin bones, diabetes and high blood pressure.
What is the best food for arthritis?
No diet cures arthritis. Losing weight helps knee and hip osteoarthritis a great deal. For gout, cutting down on beer, spirits, organ meat and sugary drinks helps, but NICE notes there is not enough evidence that any specific diet prevents gout attacks on its own.
Do I need an X-ray?
Often, but not always first. Osteoarthritis is usually diagnosed from the history and examination. For suspected rheumatoid arthritis, NICE advises X-rays of the hands and feet. The rheumatologist tells you which you need.
The procedures
Related health guides
Read next
More patient guides
Sources and further reading
The guidelines and patient information this page is checked against. Care in Nigeria follows the same evidence; what differs is the price and where it is done.
- Osteoarthritis in over 16s: diagnosis and management (NG226). National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Clinical guideline.
- Rheumatoid arthritis in adults: management (NG100). National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Clinical guideline.
- Gout: diagnosis and management (NG219). National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Clinical guideline.
- Musculoskeletal health. World Health Organization. Fact sheet.
Links last checked 30 October 2026.
Medical disclaimer: This guide is general information and does not replace advice from your own doctor. Where your centre's instructions differ from this guide, follow theirs.