Pain Treatment

Some of the time, treating a disorder that is the cause of pain can help to eliminate or reduce the pain a person feels. An example of this might be setting a bone that has been broken or treating an infected joint with antibiotics. If an underlying problem can be treated, it is often necessary for a person to manage pain quickly. Doctors will choose which analgesic to give depending on the type of pain and how long the pain will last and it will also depend on what kind of risks and benefits there are.

Many analgesics are an effective treatment for nociceptive pain (such as occurs in injured tissues), but cannot treat neuropathic pain (caused from damage to the nerves as might occur in spinal or brain injuries). This type of pain will often need different pain medications. For some other kinds of pain, especially that which is chronic it is important to consider other non drug treatment options. Most analgesics will fall under one of three categories. These include narcotic (aka: opioids) analgesics, non opioid analgesics and what is called adjuvant analgesics or medications that are often used to treat other problems but can also relieve pain.

Opioid Analgesics (Narcotics)

Opioid analgesics are also sometimes referred to as narcotics. This is the most powerful of the analgesics. It is the main form of treatment for severe types of acute pain, such as a person might feel from burns, broken bones or after a surgery, as well as cancer pain and other ongoing illnesses. Opioids are often chosen because they are the most effective way to manage pain. The use of opioids in the treatment of other chronic types of pain that is not caused from cancer is still not very common but is becoming more popular. This type of pain reliever is not a good choice for everyone. Opioids have a similar makeup as Morphine (Ms Contin), which is extracted from poppies. Some opioids are derived from other plants or laboratory made. Opioid dosage is gradually increased by stages until the person experiences pain relief or can no longer tolerate the side effects. Newborns and the elderly are more sensitive to opioids' effects, so they will often be prescribed a lower dose. Other nonopioid analgesics including acetaminophen are commonly used with opioids and some medications contain a combination of the two drugs. Opioids have the greatest effectiveness when they are taken before the pain becomes unbearable - about every few hours. If a person needs more relief from the pain, another drug, like a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory, might be added to the medications. Situations that might require this include:

• Wound dressings need to be changed
• A person needs to move, which can often cause more pain
• The pain temporarily becomes worse

As the pain becomes less, health care providers will reduce the dosage of the opioid to reflect this and if they can, they will switch to a nonopioid analgesic.

Nonopioid Analgesics

There is a wide variety of nonopioid analgesics available. They are used to treat pain that is mild to moderate. These are non habit forming on a physical level and these drugs are less likely to cause a person to develop a tolerance to the pain relieving effects of these drugs. Acetaminophen and aspirin are an example of this type of pain medication. They are known as over the counter medicines that many people use for day to day pain. Other examples of these nonopioid analgesics include ibuprofen, ketoprofen and naproxen. These are available over the counter and by prescription in higher doses. These are often considered safe to take for short periods, but they should not be taken for longer than 7 to 10 days as pain treatment. If symptoms become worse or do not go away, you should consult your health care provider.

Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Pain Medications

Most of the nonopioid analgesics available are known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs. These are often used in the treatment of mild to moderate pain and can be used in conjunction with opioids to help ease moderate to severe pain. NSAIDs have been found to reduce inflammation that can cause pain to become worse. All NSAIDs are oral medications, but one, ketorolac can also be administered through iv or in the muscle. Another NSAID, Indomethacin can also be administered by suppository.