Alcohol and Arthritis

Alcoholic beverages are not an effective treatment for any type of arthritis and can sometimes make arthritis worse.

Alcohol can make some diseases such as gout much worse.

Alcohol can also interact with medications. A few examples of medications that mix poorly with alcohol include the DMARDs methotrexate, Arava (leflunomide), and Imuran (azathioprine). This is not a complete list!

Please talk to your doctor about alcohol intake and the effect it can have on your disease and your medications.