Health Topics Pain Relief
Pain Relief Drugs. Pain, Pharmacology of Pain, News on
Pain Control
Pain
The International Association for the Study of Pain defines pain as "an unpleasant
sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage,
or described in terms of such damage"
While the acute pain is a transitory normal sensation, the chronic pain persists. Chronic
pain is described as pain lasting more than a few moths and is not necessarily
associated with trauma or disease. Common chronic pain complaints include
headache, back pain, cancer pain, arthritis pain, neuropathic pain, psychogenic pain,
migraine pain etc. The patients with chronic pain experience psychical, psychological,
and functional deterioration.
Learn More about Pain Disorders and Treatment of Pain
Pain (MedlinePlus)
Chronic Pain (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke - NINDS)
Pain Relievers (MedlinePlus)
Chronic Pain Medicines (American Academy of Family Physicians)
A wide variety of medications with different pharmacological mechanisms of action
are available for acute, chronic and cancer pain.
Common pain relievers
Pain relievers such as acetaminophen can relieve minor pain but do not possess
anti-inflammatory action. They are used often in combination with other medications to
provide greater pain relief.
Anti-inflammatory drugs
They are used to relieve pain, inflammation, and fever. The non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) inhibit the enzyme cyclooxygenase (COX-1 and
COX-2), which contributes to inflammation. They reduce inflammation and fever, and
are used for relief of mild to moderate pain, as well as for treatment of acute and
chronic inflammatory disorders such as arthritis etc. There also are steroidal drugs
(like prednisone), available only by prescription, and are used to treat more serious
inflammatory conditions such as chronic arthritis.
Centrally-acting analgesics (morphine-like drugs, opioids)
The centrally-acting analgesics relieve moderate to severe pain by binding to
receptors in the brain. They are usually prescribed to treat acute pain or cancer pain.
They are occasionally used for certain chronic, noncancer pain as well.
Antidepressants
Antidepressants are usually used to treat depression. Studies show, however, that
they also can relieve certain pain.
Latest News
Heart Attack Risks, Pain Relief Similar for Most Osteoarthritis Drugs. Press Release,
September 26, 2006. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD.
Check for Latest News on Pain and Pain Relief at
MedlinePlus: Pain
MedlinePlus: Pain Relievers
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