Osteoarthritis (OA) as a common musculoskeletal disease affects more than 30% of the elderly population. It frequently involves knees, hips, spines and hands. In hands, the distal and proximal interphalangeal and the first carpometacarpal joints are affected, leading often to significant disability and limitation in the daily activity. The chronic progressive nature of the disease requires a life-long treatment. The mainstay treatment of hand OA targets pain control. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are often used. However, they are frequently associated with significant gastrointestinal side effects including gastritis, peptic ulcer diseases, and bleeding, especially with long term use. Further, they do not ameliorate pain completely, requiring additional medications such as acetaminophen or opioid-based analgesics.