Since humans were humans and they began to get hurt, other humans have sought some means to relieve their pain. In ancient cultures, this meant turning to medicinal herbs. In fact, one of the earliest forms of pain relief still available in a different form today was salicylate derived from such plants as the willow. In the late 19th century, Bayer turned this into acetylsalicylic acid and gave it the brand name Aspirin. People today have many choices for pain relief
Narcotic Analgesics
When Friedrich Wilhelm Adam Sertürner synthesized morphine from the poppy plant in 1817, relieving pain took a whole new turn. While he planned the medicine as a way for people addicted to opium to get clean, it soon became clear it could help relieve pain. Morphine and other opiates or opioids such as oxycodone, codeine and fentanyl work directly in the person’s central nervous system to deaden the pain experienced anywhere in the body. All opiates, however, can cause a person to become physically and psychologically dependent and addicted. For this reason, they generally find uses with severe pain killing where other types of drugs do not sufficiently help.
Non-Narcotic Analgesics
The most common non-narcotic analgesic, acetaminophen, works similarly to opiates to deaden pain, but does not cause addiction. Doctors may prescribe high-dose acetaminophen, which can reduce fevers as well as relieve pain, or people can buy lower dose over-the-counter versions without a prescription. The MayoClinic.com reports no serious side effects occur commonly, but rare side effects as well as those associated with an overdose can cause serious problems. Taking too much acetaminophen, for example, can cause such problems as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea and appetite loss. The MayoClinic.com recommends immediate consultation with a physician for any overdose side effects. Acetaminophen can also be useful for treating pain symptoms in combination with other types of drugs. For example, acetaminophen and aspirin work together. Narcotics often combine with acetaminophen for stronger pain relief.
NSAIDs
Acetylsalicylic acid, or aspirin, was one of the first nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on the market. Others, such as naproxen and ibuprofen have joined aspirin as over-the-counter medicines, while others such as etodolac, indomethacin and celecoxib remain available only through a prescription from a doctor. NSAIDs help reduce inflammation. This can help relieve pain in areas of the body where the pain occurs because of inflamed tissues. Although originally recommended for forms of arthritis such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout, NSAIDs have gained ground with people to treat other types of pain as well.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Acetaminophen (Oral Route, Rectal Route)
- MayoClinic.com: Oxycodone and Acetaminophen (Oral Route)
- U.S. National Library of Medicine: PubMed.gov: [Friedrich Wilhelm Adam Sertürner--on the 150th anniversary of the death of the discoverer of morphine]
- Drugs.com: Narcotic Analgesics - For Pain Relief
- Cleveland Clinic: Pain Medicines
