Types of Analgesic Drugs

By: John Scott
Submitted: 2009-06-30 13:20:38
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There are different types of medications you can use in order to overcome pain. Learn which types of analgesics are most effective in various situations and why.

When you suffer from pain you have a variety of drugs to help in overcoming it. But different types of painkillers have different properties and are usually applied in different circumstances. It is important that you know the properties of each analgesics type because the effectiveness of pain treatment can be largely determined by what kind of drug you use. So it’s in your own interest to learn about the difference between various kinds of painkiller medications.

Acetaminophen

Tylenol (Acetaminophen) is applied for treating pain. In contrast with other pain medications, Tylenol doesn’t possess anti-inflammatory properties. However, when dealing with chronic pain there can be no sign of inflammation and the drug may be used quite effectively for overcoming this condition. Tylenol is regarded as a safe drug in normal amounts, but can pose serious danger when taken in excess. You should also take caution when mixing Tylenol with such prescription drugs as Percocet or Darvocet because the combination can be harmful.

Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)

The NSAIDs (Ibuprofen, Aleve, etc.) are most commonly used for treating acute pain and inflammations in cases of chronic pain. These drugs are highly effective when addressing inflammatory processes such as arthritis, bursitis, and tendonitis. NSAIDs are usually regarded as a very safe option for treating chronic pain, the only downside however being stomach problems that were observed with the long time use of such drugs. The newer generation of NSAIDs, called COX-2 inhibitors (Celebrex), are reported to be short of that problem, but doctors still recommend paying attention and not use these medications for longer periods of time.

Corticosteroids

Like NSAIDs, corticosteroids are highly potent anti-inflammatory drugs, which are applied in cases of acute pain or flare-ups during chronic pain issues. Corticosteroids are usually available in oral form (Medrol, Prednisone) or as soft tissue or joint injections.

Narcotics

Narcotics (opioids and opiates) are usually considered as the last result when dealing with pain. These drugs affect the actual perception of pain by altering the ability to receive and interpret pain signals in the brain. Narcotics are highly effective when dealing with acute pain, however such efficiency comes with a price as there is a strong dependency developed with these drugs’ use. .Synthetic opioids such as Tramadol are less prone to this problem, but are still known to deliver withdrawal symptoms, which are very common with natural narcotics. Such drugs should be administered only with proper attention of a professional and only for treating chronic pain.

Anti-Convulsants

Anti-convulsant drugs are usually applied in cases of nerve pain. This type of drugs works by altering the work of nerves and signals that are sent to the brain. This is somewhat similar to opioids like Tramadol but there are different areas affected by the drug. The most widely used antic-onvulsant painkiller Neurontin (Gabapentin). But there are also more recent drugs developed for treating more specific conditions like Lyrica (Pregabalin), which is applied in cases of fibromyalgia.

Article source: Expert Articles