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Analgesic Drugs - Pain Medications - Painkillers - Pain Relievers

Analgesic drug information, dosage, side effects, drug interactions, and warnings. Analgesics (also called painkillers, pain killers, pain medications, pain relievers) are drugs designed to suppress the pain mechanism. Pain relief is a significant part of arthritis treatment.
Safe Dose of Pain Medicine - Is It the Same for You and for Me?
Pain medicine is an important treatment option for arthritis. There are recognized dosages that are considered safe use of pain medicine. Is the safe dose of pain medicine the same for you and for me?
What are Analgesics?
A brief explanation and fast facts about analgesics.
The Facts of Analgesics / Painkillers
Analgesic medication are commonly referred to as painkillers. There are basically two kinds of analgesics: non-narcotics and narcotics.
10 Things You Should Know About Tylenol / Acetaminophen
Tylenol safety decreases the chance for undesirable side effects. Safety warnings about Tylenol should be respected. To enhance patient safety, Tylenol / acetaminophen must be taken according to directions.
When Are Pain Medications Appropriate For Arthritis Patients?
When is it appropriate for pain medications (analgesics) to be prescribed as part of the treatment plan for arthritis patients? Are analgesic pain medications appropriate as a long-term treatment or maintenance treatment, or should they only be used short-term?
The Newest Arthritis Medications
It is in your own best interest to know what new medication is coming next and learn about how it should work so you can discuss with your doctor whether you would be a candidate for the drug. But even though the newly marketed drugs and drugs still in development grab our attention, don't forget about older possibilities.
Palladone - Pain Medication
Palladone has been FDA approved for around-the-clock relief of moderate to severe pain.
Arthritis Drugs: What Are My Options?
There are over a 100 different arthritis drugs used in the treatment of arthritis. Since individual response to a specific drug can vary and because possible side effects are also a factor, finding the most effective drug or combination of drugs can be a more difficult process than one would expect.
Opiate withdrawal
Opiate withdrawal is caused by stopping or greatly reducing use of an opiate after heavy and prolonged use. Opiates include morphine, codeine, Oxycontin, and others. When stopped, the body needs time to recover, and withdrawal symptoms result. Withdrawal from opiates can occur when use is discontinued.
Opioid intoxication
Opium and its derivatives (which include morphine, oxycodone, and the synthetic opioid narcotics) generate an abnormal mental state, generally characterized by excessive sleepiness or unconsciousness (depending on the degree of intoxication), and usually associated with respiratory depression and small pupils.
Fecal Impaction
A fecal impaction is a large mass of dry, hard stool that can develop in the rectum due to chronic constipation. This mass may be so hard that it cannot be excreted. Watery stool from higher in the bowel may move around the mass and leak out. Patients at risk include those who take any type of narcotic pain medication.
Prialt (ziconotide intrathecal infusion): For Severe Chronic Pain
Prialt (ziconotide) is approved for severe chronic pain in patients for whom intrathecal therapy (an implantable drug delivery system) is indicated. These patients have severe pain for longer than six months from a variety of sources (such as failed back surgery, injury, nervous system disorders) and are not helped by or cannot use systemic analgesics, adjunctive therapies, or IT morphine.
Benefits And Risks Of Opioids
The use of opioids as a treatment for non-malignant chronic pain remains a subject of considerable debate, from John Hopkins.
Narcotic Analgesic Dosage Converter
A narcotic analgesic dosage converter, from Globalrph.
Opioid Therapy For OA Of The Hip And Knee: Use It Or Lose It?
An editorial about the appropriateness of opioid use for the treatment of osteoarthritis, from Journal of Rheumatology.
How To Treat Gout With Diet And Medication
Gout is one of the most painful types of arthritis. Gout attacks can be controlled or prevented by lifestyle changes and the use of certain medications.
Canada Will Sell Marijuana, Seeds For Medical Use
Canada's government announced on July 9, 2003 that it will sell marijuana and seeds to medically eligible people and their suppliers. This announcement is considered an "interim measure" which satisfies a previous Ontario court order. The federal government is appealing the ruling.
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