Your chronic pain isn’t the same as pain from an injury or strain in the body. It’s ongoing and stays with you for months or even years. It can make you feel isolated and misunderstood by the people around you. They can’t figure out why you’re still hurting or if you’ll ever get better. But, the pain is real and you need relief. When it gets to be too much to bear, certain drugs can provide relief but should be used with caution. In this article, we’ll look at the types of drugs that are considered for pain when it’s unbearable.
What Is Chronic Pain?
Pain is often the body telling you something is wrong. It serves as a signal to refrain from doing a certain activity. These warnings are designed to keep you alive as long as possible. Pain is usually solely considered a negative experience but if you consider the damages that may have occurred had you not felt that initial pain the results could have been devastating. For example, when you burn your finger on the stove you are alerted by the pain to stop doing that. Had you not felt that you may have caught on fire. It is the body’s defense.
Unfortunately, there are situations where these pain receptors endure damage-causing communication to go haywire. This can occur because of an illness, injury, inflammation, or the development of a genetic disease. Some common symptoms can include burning sensations, joint pain, headaches, irritability and more.
Chronic pain is pain that carries on longer than 12 weeks. This discomfort usually follows an injury or an illness. For some, this affliction seems to come out of nowhere.
How Do Doctors Treat Chronic Pain?
Treating this illness may turn into a complex task. Everyone is different, and not all things work for all patients. Doctors usually begin with a certain number of medications and see how the patient responds. Your provider may recommend seeing a physical therapist or specialist for injury-related pain.
If your discomfort is due to inflammation, they may prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs or steroids for a limited time. Many of the medications prescribed do not guarantee total recovery, but the goal is to decrease pain enough to improve the patient’s quality of life.
When Should You Take Pain Medication?
When managing chronic pain, it is easier to control discomfort on a regular schedule. Often people will wait until affliction becomes unbearable to take their prescribed medicine. Pain is easier to manage at lower levels rather than waiting until it is at its peak. It is best to take medication as prescribed by your physician.
What Are Pain Relieving Drugs?
Pain relieving drugs are made up of certain chemicals that affect the way the brain and body communicate. There are two categories of pain-relieving drugs called acetaminophen and NSAIDs. Acetaminophen drugs like TYLENOL®, Excedrin® and Percocet® provide pain relief. NSAIDs drugs like Aspirin, Ibuprofen, and Naproxen reduce pain and inflammation.
Some of these medications come with harmful side effects and may also become addictive. Addiction to pain reducing medications happens more often than you think. Abusing medication can happen in a way that feels unintentional. It’s important to communicate with your medical provider to find which treatments work for you.
What Are Common Drugs Used To Relieve Pain?
Analgesics are the most common drugs used to relieve discomfort. Analgesics are drugs that provide relief without causing drowsiness.
Doctors also commonly prescribe corticosteroids and opioids. Cortisone shots are given to patients a few times a year to help alleviate pain in the joint areas of the body. Opioids are not usually prescribed to people who suffer with chronic pain. Short term use of opioids is recommended as they are considered highly addictive.
Is It Okay To Take Pain Medication Every Day?
You should not take over-the-counter medications every day. It is best to read the directions on the side of the medication box to know how many days you can take the drug. A doctor may prescribe a medication for you to take daily that relieves your discomfort. It is important to take all medications as directed by your doctor.
What Is The Safest Pain Reliever To Take?
Acetaminophen is usually the safest medication to take when experiencing discomfort. Acetaminophen is given to infants in small doses for teething discomfort and fever. It is generally considered safe. The only times acetaminophen is not recommended is if you are allergic or have liver disease. In addition, if you consume more than three alcoholic beverages in a day, you should refrain from using acetaminophen.
What Does Constant Pain Do To A Person?
If you have ever experienced pain for a long period of time you know it can take you places in your mind that you never imagined thinking or feeling. You may find yourself feeling incredibly frustrated with the lack of relief, trying everything you can just to feel better. Chronic discomfort can make you feel depressed, isolated, and hopeless. Pain often causes a stress response in the body which affects the immune system making the illness more severe. You may become anxious, never knowing when your pain will debilitate you. This often discourages people from maintaining healthy relationships or fully enjoying life.
Your doctor may suggest you speak with a mental health professional. If you have never considered this before it can actually provide an outlet for your frustrations. Not only that but they help educate patients on how to process certain situations and develop more positive mindsets. Many people may laugh this off but the mind is a powerful tool. If you can help improve your mindset in any way it may take some weight off your plate. Therapists use activities like biofeedback and cognitive behavioral therapy to address the repercussions of chronic pain. Secondary issues like stress, depression, and suicidal thoughts are also managed this way. If you have not considered it already it may become a helpful exercise to give you some control back over your life.
Can Chronic Pain Go Away On Its Own?
For some people, chronic discomfort may heal on its own. If you have experienced an injury, it may take time for you to heal and your pain should decrease over time. For others, pain may seem to last forever. For certain individuals, they experience discomfort every single day. Some examples of these conditions are:
- Fibromyalgia
- Arthritis
- Nerve Damage
- Chronic Pain Syndrome
- Traumatic Brain Injuries
- Cancer
- Recurrent Infections
- Dejerine–Roussy syndrome
- Complex regional pain syndrome
- Sickle Cell Disease
- Lupus
- Lymes Disease
- Neuralgia
- Endometriosis
- Multiple Sclerosis
People may develop certain diseases or ailments where they encounter discomfort daily. With medication, doctors can improve patients' quality of life and help their symptoms become more manageable.
Resources:
https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/brain-nerves-and-spinal-cord/chronic-pain
https://www.mayoclinic.org/chronic-pain-medication-decisions/art-20360371
