Living life happily and pain-free, that’s what everyone wants. Pain is the most common reason people visit the doctor’s clinic. It is a primitive warning signal and is your body’s way of letting you know something is wrong.
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Everyone has felt pain at one point or another. Pain occurs due to an injury, infection, inflammation, trauma, and many other causes. When in pain, you don’t care to think of anything except being pain-free. Pain management ladder involves using different pain medicines, in a stepwise manner to reduce pain. Most commonly, we advise hot fomentation, then Paracetamol. Additional medications are added then according to the response.
What are the different kinds of painkillers?
For all practical purposes Over the counter (OTC) drugs and prescription pain killers are the two kinds.
Non-prescription pain killers – Most common OTC is Acetaminophen or Paracetamol . It gives relief in headache, toothache, muscle pain. NSAIDs are another group of OTC painkillers, including Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Diclofenac, Aceclofenac, and others.
Prescription pain medicines include Opioids medicines like Codeine, morphine Oxycodone.
Complications of Pain medicines
Acetaminophen or Paracetamol
It is one of the safest pain medications and the first choice of analgesic for doctors. It is safer than Aspirin and other NSAIDS concerning side effects. Paracetamol is present in many fever medications, cold medicines, and cough syrups. This is the reason complications from overdosing can arise.
Side effect of Paracetamol
It is a safe and well-tolerated drug. The problem is, pain killers are highly misused. Nausea, vomiting, rash, and liver damage in overdosing are side effects in rare cases. Avoid this drug in case of liver disease and alcoholism.
NSAIDs or Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
You need to take an acid suppressant like pantoprazole at least twenty minutes before taking an NSAID for safe use. Peptic ulcer disease and kidney damage are potentially severe complications.
Black tarry poop, vomit with blood, severe abdominal pain, and peptic perforation are life-threatening. If any such symptoms occur, you must visit the ER of any Government hospital nearest to you. Don’t use NSAIDs in chronic liver disease, Dengue, and related viral infections, and if you are on blood thinners.
Danger signs of Salicylism due to Aspirin overdose- Dizziness, ringing sound in the ear(tinnitus), reversible hearing loss.
Reye’s syndrome-It is a rare type of hepatic encephalopathy occurring in children with viral infections like flu and chickenpox.
Opioids
A group of drugs used strictly under a Physicians monitoring. These drugs alter how the brain feels pain. This is used as a pain medication only in case of severe pain, unrelieved by other painkillers. Constipation is the most common side effect. Others being nausea, drowsiness, dizziness, excessive sweating, itchiness, depression, sedation, tolerance and addiction, respiratory center depression.
How can you prevent complications from pain killers?
1)Avoid self-medication
2) Have as little as possible only when necessary and never for more than a few days. If pain increases or doesn’t improve, consult a doctor, or visit a Government hospital.
3)Read the package inserts to know what is the active ingredient. A similar active ingredient may be present in a drug for headaches, cold and cough, and prescription drugs.
4)) Read the label every time you use a medicine. Check the expiry date and dosage instructions.
5) If you have any medical conditions like a liver problem, kidney problem, cardiorespiratory problem, or alcohol or drug abuse – avoid self-medicating
6) Don’t ever mix OTC painkillers, with prescription pain killers, recreational drugs, sedatives, or alcohol.
7)Avoid taking multiple medicines at the same time. This helps in avoiding accidental drug overdosing and adverse drug interactions. Strictly avoid using medications that you have had an allergic reaction too. Keep a strict record of drug allergy and a list of all your current medicines.
8) NSAIDs need to be taken after a meal and with an acid suppressant like Proton pump inhibitor to avoid potential peptic ulcers.
9)Infant pain formula and Children pain formula have different concentrations of medicines. Please don’t mix them up.
Takeaway
Pain killers may reduce pain, but they will not cure the cause. It helps to localize, detect, and identify the tissue-damaging process, which causes pain. When you take pain medicines without knowing the reason, you delay getting better. Paracetamol is the most common and safe pain killer. Persistent pain means you must consult a doctor. Live healthy live pain-free.