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Pain Management Health Center

Pain Management Related Topics

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Pain Management - Treatment

Many different treatments can ease pain. Medicines are the most common treatment. But to feel better, you also can try other things, such as reducing your stress level or changing how you think.

You also can try physical therapy, relaxation, acupuncture, and other ways to feel better. Talk with your doctor about what mix of treatments might work best for you.

Your treatment depends on several things, including:

How bad your pain is (based on what you tell your doctor).
How long you've had pain.
The type of pain you have. For example, you might take different medicine for joint pain than you would for nerve pain.
Other health problems you may have.

If you have pain for a long time, your treatment may change over time.

Medicines to treat pain

Several types of medicines can be used to treat pain. Most of these medicines can treat more than one kind of pain. So you may need to try a couple of medicines to see which works best for you. Your doctor will work with you to find the right types and dosage of medicine. You may take more than one kind of medicine at the same time.

**Medicines for different types of pain**
Examples	Types of pain
Acetaminophen : Example: Tylenol Relieves mild to moderate pain but doesn't reduce inflammation Often used for short-term (acute) pain	Muscle, joint, and bone pain Organ pain
Corticosteroids : Examples: prednisone and dexamethasone Relieves inflammation that can cause pain May be given as a pill or shot	Muscle, joint, and bone pain
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) : Examples: aspirin, ibuprofen (such as Advil and Motrin), and naproxen (Aleve) Relieves pain and inflammation May be used for short- or long-term (chronic) pain	Muscle, joint, and bone pain Organ pain
Anticonvulsants : Examples: gabapentin (Neurontin), carbamazepine (Tegretol), and topiramate (Topamax) May be used for long-term pain	Nerve pain
Opiate pain relievers : Examples: acetaminophen and hydrocodone (Vicodin, Lortab) and morphine (Kadian, MS Contin) Used to treat cancer pain Used for severe short-term pain (such as from injury or after surgery) May be used for long-term pain	Organ pain
Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) antidepressants : Examples: duloxetine (Cymbalta) and venlafaxine (Effexor) Often used to treat nerve pain, such as from fibromyalgia	Nerve pain Organ pain
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants : Examples: fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft), and citalopram (Celexa)	Can be used for any type of pain
Tricyclic and tetracyclic antidepressants : Examples: amitriptyline, desipramine (Norpramin), and nortriptyline (Pamelor) May be used for long-term pain	Can be used for any type of pain

All medicines have side effects. For more information, see the Side Effects of Pain Medicines section of this topic.

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Other treatments

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WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise

Last Updated: January 20, 2011

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information.