Pain

Pain is a feeling triggered in the nervous system.  Pain can be sharp or dull. It may come and go, or it might be constant.  You may feel pain in one area of your body, such as your back, abdomen or chest or you could feel pain all over, such as when your muscles ache from the flu.

Pain can be helpful in diagnosing a problem.  Without pain, you might seriously hurt yourself without knowing it, or you might not realize you have a medical problem that requires treatment.  Once you take care of the problem, pain usually goes away.  However, sometimes pain goes on for weeks, months or even years.  This is called chronic pain. Sometimes chronic pain is due to an ongoing condition, such as cancer or arthritis, and sometimes the cause is unknown.

Fortunately, there are many ways to treat pain.  Treatment varies depending on the cause of pain.  Pain relievers, acupuncture and sometimes surgery are helpful.

Pain relievers are medicines that reduce or relieve headaches, sore muscles, arthritis or any number of other aches and pains.  There are many different pain medicines, and each one has advantages and risks.  Some types of pain respond better to certain medications than others.  Each person may also have a slightly different response to a pain reliever.

Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines are good for many types of pain.  There are two main types of OTC pain medications: acetaminophen (Tylenol) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).  Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve) and aspirin are examples of OTC NSAIDs.

If OTC medicines don’t relieve your pain, your doctor may prescribe something stronger.  Many NSAIDs are available in prescription doses.  The most powerful pain relievers are narcotics.  They are very effective, but they can sometimes have serious side effects.  Because of the risks, you must use them only under a doctor’s supervision.

If you have additional questions or would like information on over-the-counter medications for pain, please contact Travis Holshouser or Jennifer Church.