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Pain relievers, whether over-the-counter or prescription strength, can aid in the management of chronic and various types of pain. Because these are potent medications, it’s critical to utilize them with caution. Start with the safest medications at the lowest effective dose for the shortest time possible and work your way up as needed.

Pain relievers can be administered orally or via injection, they can also come in a patch form or as a cream. Drugs are categorized by how they work to reduce pain, the type of pain they treat, how strong they are and how long it takes them to start working. The drug’s side effects are also important for both safety reasons and potential interactions with other medications.

Pain relievers can be both over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications. Over-the-counter pain relievers are available without a prescription from your doctor, but they should not be used for ongoing or long term treatment of chronic pain. In many cases, it’s best to see your doctor about how to manage ongoing pain to anticipate any abuse that might comes later.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs are some of the most commonly used prescription pain killers. Painkillers work on how the body responds to pain signals.

In our brain, there are pain receptors that tell the brain what type of sensation it is feeling. For example, cold temperatures activate a particular kind of receptor which then sends a message to the brain that we feel cold. In addition to how strong the pain feels, the intensity with which your body responds is determined by how much of it is registered.