Dianne Bourque stated, “We need to help people understand that taking pain medication to maximise one’s capacity for productivity and the maintenance of enriching relationships is very different from the disease of addiction, which restricts one’s capacity for contribution to society and the maintenance of healthy habits!”
Without a question, painkillers are a crucial component of contemporary medicine. But since painkillers may have adverse effects, we must take them responsibly. If taken improperly, people might develop addictions to them and end up suffering from a variety of health issues.
Dr. Vivek Loomba, Senior Consultant & Pain Physician at the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre in New Delhi, exclusively discussed the negative affects of using painkillers daily with WION and stated, “Painkillers or the over-the-counter drugs are habit-forming and have unlimited adverse effects. Painkillers should only be taken when the pain is intolerable, and one should utilise them responsibly. If you detect a high acceptance rate, you should immediately stop using the substance and rigorously prevent addiction or drug dependency. If the pain persists, you can talk to your doctor about it and ask about the results of all the medications they have recommended.
“You can become addicted to painkillers even if you have been taking the appropriate precautions,” Dr. Vivek said. If quitting opioids is difficult for you, seek addiction therapy from your doctor and enrol in a detox programme. Additionally, a relatively small percentage of people are aware of the many pain management options accessible. When people encounter pain, they instantly purchase over-the-counter medicines from a pharmacy, but it’s vitally important to understand that if the pain is severe or prolonged, they should first speak with a pain management professional.
The medical expert stated that a pain physician can help you understand your alternatives, which may include oral pills, patches, nerve blocks, radiofrequency ablation, epidural injections, and other pain treatment procedures.
Over-the-counter painkillers
Paracetamol or crocin is a commonly used over-the-counter medication that may be used to relieve mild pain. NSAIDS (Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) are also widely used over-the-counter pain medications and are mostly taken for mild to moderate pain. Naproxen, ibuprofen, and diclofenac are some examples.
Side effects of over-the-counter painkillers
● Can be dangerous if overused
● May cause interior stomach ulcers or bleeding
● They can also cause liver damage if taken for a long time or at a high dose
● They may also lead to various complications of the kidneys, like renal dysfunction and eventually end-stage renal disease
● Other side effects of painkillers include raised blood pressure and retention of fluid in your body
Opioids
Prescription opioids, which include medications like morphine, codeine and fentanyl, are a broad group of pain-relieving drugs prescribed by medical experts to treat severe and persistent pain. They work by interacting with opioid receptors in your cells. These are strong painkillers and are usually reserved for patients with unbearable pain. This group of medications may also be used in the postoperative period to help patients overcome pain.
Side effects of opioids
● Common side effects of opioid administration include vomiting, sedation, dizziness, nausea, constipation, physical dependence, tolerance, and respiratory depression.
● Opioids can cause addiction. Patients can also develop a high forbearance and hinge on opioids
● They can cause breathing problems
● An overdose can cause bone malfunctioning and tooth deterioration
● The patient also develops symptoms of withdrawal when he stops using them
As and when you experience any kind of side effects, you should immediately consult someone you can trust, a medical expert will surely guide you in the right way.
