Contents:
- Medical Video: How Do Pain Relievers Work? - George Zaidan
- How do painkillers work?
- 1. Paracetamol
- 2. Non-inflammatory anti-steroidal drugs (NSAIDs)
- 3. Opioids
- How are the rules for taking pain medication?
- How long should I take painkillers?
- What are the side effects of pain medication?
Medical Video: How Do Pain Relievers Work? - George Zaidan
Do you often take pain medications such as paracetamol, acetaminophen, or aspirin? When you feel headaches, fever, abdominal pain, or various other aches that arise in parts of the body, you might buy painkillers and take them, then hope all your pain and pain will disappear.
Like its properties, the drugs mentioned above are a group of painkillers. Have you ever wondered how can painkillers relieve your pain? Then will the effect last long? Do all painkillers have the same properties?
Today, many brands of drug stalls contain various types of painkillers. Actually painkillers are divided into several parts, depending on their ability to relieve pain, namely:
- Non-inflammatory anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- Paracetamol
- Opioids
These three types of drugs work in different ways to cure you from pain. There are those that are intended for pain that only occur for a short time, but sometimes painkillers are also needed in the treatment and treatment of diseases that cure takes a long time.
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How do painkillers work?
Pain medications can indeed relieve pain and pain, whether it's a mild, moderate, or severe pain. Every different pain requires a different type of drug. This difference also determines how the painkillers work.
1. Paracetamol
Paracetamol is famous for relieving headaches or dizziness. Indeed, this drug is targeted to treat parts of the brain that cause pain. This drug will stop the production of chemicals that cause the brain part to become inflamed. Actually the chemicals that cause inflammation can be produced by all parts of the body, but these substances are indeed more in number in the brain. Paracetamol is also useful for treating fever and headaches.
2. Non-inflammatory anti-steroidal drugs (NSAIDs)
This type of drug is like aspirin and ibuprofen. Both drugs have different ways of working with paracetamol. Ibuprofen and aspirin both stop chemicals that cause inflammation, but not the chemicals produced by the brain that are discontinued. The chemicals that cause inflammation, called prostaglandins are spread throughout the body and these two drugs are responsible for stopping prostaglandins from forming in parts of the body, except the brain.
3. Opioids
Opioids work by removing pain receptors in the body. This pain receptor is found in all parts of the body, but most often is in the central nervous system and intestines. This type of drug has a very high dose, so it is commonly used to relieve very severe pain. Examples of drug types of opioids are morphine, methadone, buprenorphine, hydrocodone, and oxycodone.
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How are the rules for taking pain medication?
When you feel pain and pain, you can take painkillers for some time until the pain disappears. Drink as recommended and the prescribed dose. And don't forget to eat something first before taking painkillers like paracetamol and NSAIDs. This type of drug is very strong and can cause the stomach to experience inflammation and bleeding if you don't eat any food before.
How long should I take painkillers?
Even if you are in pain, taking painkillers for a long time is a bad thing. Long-term consumption can cause the body to experience various health-related conditions. If your pain has begun to decrease, then you should immediately stop taking the drug.
But there are several disease conditions that require painkillers for a long time such as arthritis. Of course this should be consulted and discussed with the doctor.
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What are the side effects of pain medication?
Every drug of any type has its own side effects. Most side effects occur because the drug is consumed in high doses and without advice from the doctor. Sometimes a combination of 2 or 3 drugs taken at once can cause bad side effects. The following are side effects that can arise if you take painkillers:
NSAIDs, this type of drug has no side effects that can endanger health, only has side effects with mild symptoms. But in extreme cases, you can experience symptoms such as, stomach bleeding, intestinal bleeding, and heart problems.
Paracetamol is a drug stall that you can get everywhere even without a doctor's prescription. This drug is a drug that is safe if consumed in accordance with the recommendations and rules. But if you consume paracetamol in excessive doses, this can be dangerous for your heart.
Opioids, can cause several symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, constipation, dry mouth, drowsiness, and confusion. In this case opioids have a high dose compared to paracetamol and NSAIDs, therefore the use of these drugs must be recommended by the doctor.
