how does a pain killer know which area to "kill the pain"??
Question:
Answers:
Pain killers basically work on your nervous system, since there are no known "pain" areas in the brain, pain must come from some kind of trauma to the nerves. So anyways, pain killers work at stimulating receptors in your spinal cord which lessens the experience of pain. The analgesic experience may come from the placebo effect, your own belief that since you've taken something for the pain, the pain must go away after a little while.
Other Answers:
Because all pain is interpreted by the brain. The signals are sent through the nervous system to the area of the brain that interprets these messages. Pain killers act on this part of the brain to interupt or limit its reaction to pain.
I think pain killers just block the nerve that sends the pain signal, no matter where your body is hurting. For instance it you take a Tylenol for a headache, but it also takes care of your musclue ache elsewhere.
Differnt painkillers work differently some affect the pain receptors in the brain others enter the blood stream and affect the nerves in the painful area.
Dont know but thank god for them
Analgesic
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"Painkiller" redirects here. For other uses, see Painkiller (disambiguation).
An analgesic (colloquially known as a painkiller) is any member of the diverse group of drugs used to relieve pain and to achieve analgesia. This derives from Greek an-, "without", and -algia, "pain". Analgesic drugs act in various ways on the peripheral and central nervous system; they include paracetamol (acetaminophen), the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as the salicylates, narcotic drugs such as morphine, synthetic drugs with narcotic properties such as tramadol, and various others. Some other classes of drugs not normally considered analgesics are used to treat neuropathic pain syndromes; these include tricyclic antidepressants and anticonvulsants.
Contents [hide]
1 The major classes
1.1 Paracetamol and NSAIDs
1.2 Opiates and morphinomimetics
1.3 Specific agents
2 Specific forms and uses
2.1 Combinations
2.2 Topical or systemic
2.3 Psychotropic agents
3 Addiction
4 See also
5 Reference
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The major classes
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Paracetamol and NSAIDs
The exact mechanism of action of paracetamol is uncertain, but it appears to be acting centrally. Aspirin and the NSAIDs inhibit cyclooxygenase, leading to a decrease in prostaglandin production; this improves pain and also inflammation (in contrast to paracetamol and the opioids).
Paracetamol has few side effects, but dosing is limited by possible hepatotoxicity (potential for liver damage). NSAIDs may predispose to peptic ulcers, renal failure, allergic reactions, and hearing loss. They may also increase the risk of hemorrhage by affecting platelet function. The use of certain NSAIDs in children under 16 suffering from viral illness may contribute to Reye's syndrome.
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Opiates and morphinomimetics
Morphine, the archetypal opioid, and various other substances (e.g. pethidine, oxycodone, hydrocodone, diamorphine) all exert a similar influence on the cerebral opioid receptor system. Tramadol and buprenorphine are thought to be partial agonists of the opioid receptors. Dosing of all opioids may be limited by opioid toxicity (confusion, myoclonic jerks and pinpoint pupils), but there is no dose ceiling in patients who tolerate this.
Opioids, while very effective analgesics, may have some unpleasant side-effects. Up to 1 in 3 patients starting morphine may experience nausea and vomiting (generally relieved by a short course of antiemetics). Pruritus (itching) may require switching to a different opioid. Constipation occurs in almost all patients on opioids, and laxatives (lactulose, macrogol-containing or co-danthramer) are typically co-prescribed.
When used appropriately, opioids and similar narcotic analgesics are safe and effective, carrying relatively little risk of addiction. Occasionally, gradual tapering of the dose is required to avoid withdrawal symptoms.
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Specific agents
In patients with chronic or neuropathic pain, various other substances may have analgesic properties. Tricyclic antidepressants, especially amitriptyline, have been shown to improve pain in what appears to be a central manner. The exact mechanism of carbamazepine, gabapentin and pregabalin is similarly unclear, but these anticonvulsants are used to treat neuropathic pain with modest success.
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Specific forms and uses
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Combinations
Analgesics are frequently used in combination, such as the paracetamol and codeine preparations found in many non-prescription pain relievers. They can also be found in combination with vasoconstrictor drugs such as pseudoephedrine for sinus-related preparations, or with antihistamine drugs for allergy sufferers.
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Topical or systemic
Topical analgesia is generally recommended to avoid systemic side-effects. Painful joints, for example, may be treated with an ibuprofen- or diclofenac-containing gel; capsaicin also is used topically. Lidocaine and steroids may be injected into painful joints for longer-term pain relief. Lidocaine is also used for painful mouth sores and to numb areas for dental work and minor medical procedures.
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Psychotropic agents
Tetrahydrocannabinol and some other cannabinoids, either from the Cannabis sativa plant or synthetic, have analgesic properties, although the use of cannabis derivatives is illegal in many countries. Other analgesic agents include ketamine (an NMDA receptor antagonist), clonidine and other α2-adrenoreceptor agonists, and mexiletine and other local anaesthetic analogues.
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Addiction
In the United States in recent years, however, there has been a wave of new addictions to prescription narcotics such as oxycodone (OxyContin) and hydrocodone (Vicodin, Lortab etc.) when available in pure formulations as opposed to combined with other medications (as in Percocet which contains both oxycodone and acetaminophen/paracetamol).
[edit]
See also
Patient-controlled analgesia
It doesn't. The chemical just gets in your body and work everywhere. When it gets to the area of pain, it will work there to lessen it. But it has effects elsewhere too, hence the side effects that one may get after consuming any medicine for that matter. You know, like developing gastritis if you take pain killers for too frequently?
I wondered the same thing until I became a nurse. The pain medicine works with the pain receptors in the brain. So, you still have the "pain", but the pain signal which is sent normally is blocked by the analgesic, or pain reliever. Make sense?
It works the same all over the body but you only know it's working where the pain was because you have no way of feeling the other parts because they don't hurt.
I know what I mean.
Painkillers simply raise your pain thresh hold or tolerance level, the pain is still there but your brain doesnt register it. I wondered this for a long time until i read it somewhere, there wasnt answers then!!
It just knows.
Some painkillers, like aspirin, work by thinning the blood and reducing body temperature to actually remove the pain rather than just deaden you to it. Others do work on the brain, causing it to not read the incoming pain signals - like morphine and things. It differs with all painkillers. Please ask a physician if you need more detailed information.
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