|
Home + Health Topics with A + Pain Relievers
Pain Relievers
Pain relievers are medicines that lessen or relieve headaches, sore muscles, arthritis or any number of other aches and pains. There are a lot of different pain medicines, and each one has advantages and risks. Few types of pain respond better to certain medicines than others. Every person may also have a slightly different response to a pain reliever.
Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines are good for a lot of types of pain. There are two major types of OTC pain medications: acetaminophen (Tylenol) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Aspirin, naproxen (Aleve) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) are instances of OTC NSAIDs. If OTC medicines don't relieve your pain, your doctor can prescribe something stronger. A lot of NSAIDs are available at prescription doses. The most potent pain relievers are narcotics. These drugs can have serious side effects. You must use them only under a doctor's supervision.
There are a lot of things you can do to help ease pain. Pain relievers are just one fraction of a pain treatment plan.
|
