What medicines can treat chronic pa...

What medicines can treat chronic pain?

Many medicines can help pain, including the single in kinds listed in this handout. Each individual may have side effects. near side effects can be serious. It is important to listen to your family doctor carefully when he or she computes you how to use your pain medicine. If you have questions about side purports or about how much medicine to take, ask your doctor or your pharmacist.

Acetaminophen

Acetaminophen (one brand name: Tylenol) helps many kinds of chronic pain. Remember, many over-the-counter and prescription pain medicines have acetaminophen in them. If you are not careful, you could take more acetaminophen than is worthy for you. Taking too a great quantity [i]or[/i] amount of acetaminophen can cause liver damage. If you ofttimes have to take more than couple acetaminophen pills a day, reckon your doctor.

Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Medicines

Other medicines that help with pain are called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines. Examples include ibuprofen (two brand names: Motrin, Advil) and naproxen (two brand names: Aleve [over-the-counter], and Naprosyn [prescription]). You can take these medicines just when you ne them, or you can take them each day. When you take these medicines regularly, they build up in your house to fight the pain of inflammation (swelling) and give general pain relief. Many of these medicines are available in low-dose forms without a prescription. You ne to describe your doctor if you are taking any of these medicines regularly.

If your doctor wants you to take single in kind of these medicines, always take it with provender or a glass of milk, because the greatest in quantity common side effects are related to the stomach. If you already are taking other pain medicines, do not take these medicines without talking to your doctor first.

Opioids

Opioids, also called narcotics, can be addictive, in such a manner your family doctor will be careful about prescribing them. For many tribe with severe chronic pain, these medicines are an important part of their therapy. If your doctor prescribes opioids for your pain, be steady to follow the directions carefully. declare your doctor if you are uncomfortable with the side imports that may go along with these medicines, like as not being able to concentrate or think clearly. Do not drive when taking these medicines.

When you are taking opioids, it is important to remember that there is a difference between "physical dependence" and "psychologic addiction." Physical trust on a medicine means that your corpse gets used to that medicine and penurys it to work properly. When you do not have to take the pain medicine any longer your doctor can help you slowly and safely take les medicine until your dead body no longer "needs" it.

Psychologic addiction is the desire to use a medicine whether or not it is lacked to relieve pain. Using an opioid medicine this way can be dangerous and may not help your pain. If you have a psychologic addiction to an opioid, your doctor may give you another medicine to help with this vexed question Or your doctor might make acceptable that you talk to a counselor. Your doctor might change the medicine that you are addicted to according to lowering the dose, changing to another medicine, or stopping the medicine altogether.

Opioid medicines repeatedly cause constipation (difficulty having bowel movements) If you are taking a narcotic medicine, it is important to drink six to eight glasses of water each day. Try to eat sum of two units to four servings of recent fruits and three to five servings of vegetables each day. Be sure to betray your doctor if constipation becomes a question for you. Your doctor may remind of that you take a medicine to treat it.

Other medicines

a medicines that are used to treat other illnesses also strike one as being to help with pain. For example, carbamazepine (one brand name: Tegretol) is a medication for seizures that may treat about kinds of pain. Amitriptyline (one brand name: Elavil) is an antidepressant that may help with chronic pain in many the community Your doctor may want you to put to the test one of these medicines to help regulate your pain. Remember, it can take several weeks before these medicines begin to work well.

If you are taking any pain medicine, be secure to ask your doctor or pharmacist before you take any other medicine, either prescription or over-the-counter.

Are medicines the single way to treat chronic pain?

No. Almost anything we do to relax or secure our minds off our question s can help control pain. It is important to add relaxing activities and exercise to your daily life, uniform if you are already taking medicine for pain. You might have to use stres reduction systems for several weeks before you notice a decrease in pain. Your doctor can give you tips about stres reduction and relaxation methods

COPYRIGHT 2004 American Academy of Family Physicians

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