Introduction to pain medication
In its simplest form, pain is what we feel when we injure or hurt ourselves. It is our bodies natural way of telling us that something is wrong. But there are different types and they are;
Nociceptive Pain: this is the medical way of saying pain caused by pain receptors in a specific place. So, if you hit your head, this would be nociceptive pain as it would hurt more if you touched it. It can be easily managed through a range of treatments that are explained below.
Neuropathic Pain: this is pain that radiates out as a result of the nerve itself being injured. A slipped disc is an example of this, it may make the pain radiate down your leg, but if you touched this area the pain would not get worse as it is not the source of the pain.
How to manage your pain
Non-Medicated Pain Relief
Although there are numerous pain killers available, you may not need them to manage your pain. Non-medicated pain relief can provide good results. To do this you will first need to;
Rest: Rest for the first 48-72 Hrs following the pain from starting. This is important as it will help your body to heal itself.
Ice: Ice is an effective step in reducing pain as it cools the affected area. Doing this reduces the amount of blood flowing to the area by making the blood vessels there smaller. This prevents further damage from occurring and so helps the body to start the healing process quicker.
Comfortable position: It is also important to take a comfortable position that doesn’t cause additional pain, this should be done as much as possible. Rather than worrying on what the best position to support your injury is to the finest degree, find what works best for your individual pain.
There are plenty of products that can be bought to help aid in non-medicated pain relief. If you are struggling to sleep then there are a range of sleep aids available direct from our website which are delivered quickly, securely and discreetly to your door, to ensure that you get enough sleep to help your body recover. This includes both medicated and herbal sleep aids so that you can help yourself in the best way.
There are plenty of products that can help to cool your skin, these include plasters, gels and sprays. These are designed to provide rapid cooling to the skin in order to get the recovery process started as quickly as possible.
We also have products that can help you to adopt a comfortable position. Items such as bandages and tubigrips are a great way of supporting your injury and relieving your pain as you go about your day to day life.
Medicated Pain Relief
There are a few essential pain medications that are useful to deal with a range of pain medication, as well as some that are only available from a pharmacy (including our website).
It is a mild analgesic, but one of its properties is that it prevents the blood from clotting (meaning it can limit your ability to stop bleeding). This is useful is you have had a heart attack but not if your bleeding. It usally comes in tablet form but you can get dispersible versions (meaning it dissolves in water). Dosages vary between strengths and people but look at the table below for some dosage advice. Always read the label before taking to ensure it is safe to do so for your individual case.
This is another mild pain killer but can help to reduce temperatures, such as in a fever. It is better to take soft tissue injuries in the first couple of days following the injuries. It comes in a wide range of forms, including tablets, capsules, syrups, dispersible tablets and others. It is often found in other medication such as Cold and Flu tablets, so it is important to check the leaflet as well as other medication you have already taken to ensure it is safe to do so.
Ibuprofen is another analgesic but has the added benefit of being an anti-inflammatory. This means it is good at treating sore muscles, joints and sprain among other injuries. This is helped by it coming in a range of forms, including medicine, tablets, gels and patches. It is also safe to take with paracetamol as long as you follow the advice given in the leaflet.
Codeine is often found with paracetamol as Co-Codamol and is the strongest over the counter pain medication that you can purchase. As a result of its strength it should not be used lightly and never for longer than 3 days. Always read the leaflet before taking.
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Medication |
Adult |
Child |
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Take 1-2 Tablets per day |
Do not give to anyone under the age of 16 unless instructed to do so by a Doctor |
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Usual dose of 2 tablets each time. Swallow tablets whole with water. Wait at least 4 hours before taking another dose. No more than 4 doses in 24 Hours. |
Under 16: 1 tablet every 4-6 hours. No more than 4 doses in 24 hours. Under 10: Do not take. |
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Take 1 to 2 tablets up to three times per day. Leave at least 4 hours in between doses. No more than 6 tablets in 24 hours. |
18-12 years old: Consult a doctor if required for more than 3 days or if symptoms worsen. Under 12: Do not take. |