We all have experienced pain. It’s basically a signal in our nervous system telling us that something is wrong. Whether severe or dull, any kind of pain is unpleasant. No matter how much unpleasant, it can be helpful in diagnosing what is wrong. As you grow older, the occurrence of pain tends to increase, and women are more prone than men to experience it. Although every pain isn’t curable, and its treatment depends on the cause, there are ways to manage it. Taking pain killers is one option, but if you are not too fond to seek this option, there are non-drug options available too, such as acupuncture, physical therapy, etc.
Pain is generally of two types:
Acute Pain: This appear suddenly, such as in response to an injury, disease, or some other medical condition. It is short-lived and goes away quickly. It is also easier to find out the cause of acute pain.
Chronic Pain: This is a prolonged pain that stretches for a long time. This kind of pain can be both physically and mentally challenging for the patient.
A person’s mental state plays a huge role in determining how he/she manages pain. However, there are coping techniques available that might help:
These are some of the many pain management techniques. Other than these, there are relaxation techniques such as meditation, deep breathing, and cognitive behavioural therapy that help to cope with pain better.
There are some non-pain medicine treatments available that can help you cope with the pain:
Almost everyone takes a pain-reliever medicine at some point in life. Here are some common pain medicines:
Paracetamol: This is generally given to relieve acute pain.
Aspirin: This is not only given to relieve mild to moderate pain, but to bring down a fever.
NSAIDs: This is short for the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. These not only relieve pain, but also reduce inflammation. An example is ibuprofen.
Opioids: These are reserved for severe pain and cancer. Morphine, codeine and oxycodone are some of the opioid medicines.
Other than these, there are some antidepressants and anti-epilepsy medicines, which are used to relieve nerve pain.
Regarding how these medicines work, there is no singular way that pain medicines work. Aspirin and NSAIDS, which are both anti-inflammatory and pain-relievers, reduce inflammation, and pain. Opioid, on the other hand, leads to a change in the way the brain receives that pain. This is the reason why some people get addicted to opioids.
Although pain medicines are widely available, you must consult your doctor before taking them. If your doctor recommends these, you should be regular with the drugs. However, along with taking the medicine, you can develop some strategies that can help you to feel better. Such as staying active, avoiding triggers that are causing you pain, and getting involved in other coping techniques such as going for a massage, meditating or acupuncture.
Although these drugs quickly relieve the pain and provide you instant relief, however, these are not devoid of any side-effects. Here are some of the possible side effects of taking the pain medicines:
As you saw pain medications have several side effects associated with them. There are other things also that you must keep in mind:
Other than these, always consult your doctor to understand the underlying reason for your pain. The cause might help you with the cure. Avoid pain triggers and develop that mental strength to cope up with the pain. You can also talk to the pharmacist to understand the medication better. Chances are he/she might be able to help you with a drug option with fever side effects.
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/pain-and-pain-management-adults
https://medlineplus.gov/pain.html#cat_78
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92054/
https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/featured-topics/pain-management.html