Pain Medications

Pain Medications

Your first paragraph needs to outline the different types of drugs to relieve pain. Then, you ONLY select ONE type of pain medication to describe the mechanism of drug action (pharmacology) and the therapeutic efficacy. Furthermore, you need to discuss the adverse effects, abuse potential, and toxicities of such type of drug (if applicable). Finally, you will describe your opinion of using such type of pain medication.

Pain medicines, whether they’re over-the-counter or prescription strength, can help you manage chronic pain and other kinds of pain. They’re powerful drugs, so it’s important to use them with care. It’s best to start with the safest drugs at the lowest effective dose for the shortest amount of time and work up from there as needed.

Be aware of possible side effects and interactions with other drugs and supplements you take. And always follow the directions on the label or your doctor’s prescription.

Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers
Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers include:

Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including ibuprofen, naproxen, and diclofenac gel
Both acetaminophen and NSAIDs reduce fever and relieve pain caused by muscle aches and stiffness, but only NSAIDs can also reduce inflammation (swelling, heat, redness related to an injury, and irritation). Acetaminophen and NSAIDs also work differently. NSAIDs relieve pain by reducing the production of prostaglandins, which are hormone-like substances that cause pain and inflammation. Acetaminophen works on the parts of the brain that receive the “pain messages.” NSAIDs are also available in a prescription strength that can be prescribed by your doctor.

Using NSAIDs regularly, especially at high doses, increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes and can also cause stomach ulcers and bleeding. They can also cause kidney problems. Taking acetaminophen regularly at high doses can cause a liver problem. Taking a large amount at once intentionally or accidentally is a medical emergency.

Topical pain relievers are also available without a doctor’s prescription. These products include creams, lotions, or sprays that are applied to the skin in order to relieve pain from sore muscles and arthritis. Some examples of topical pain relievers include Aspercreme, BenGay, capsaicin cream, diclofenac gel, and Icy Hot.

Prescription Pain Relievers
Prescription medicines to treat pain include:

Corticosteroids
Opioids
Antidepressants
Anticonvulsants (anti-seizure medications)
NSAIDs
Lidocaine patches
What Are Corticosteroids?
Prescription corticosteroids provide relief for inflamed areas of the body by easing swelling, redness, itching, and allergic reactions.

Corticosteroids can be used to treat allergies, asthma, and arthritis. When used to control pain, they are generally given in the form of pills or injections that target a certain joint. Examples include methylprednisolone, prednisolone, and prednisone.

Prescription corticosteroids are strong medicines and may have serious side effects, including:

Weight gain and salt retention
Peptic ulcer disease
Mood changes
Trouble sleeping
Weakened immune system
Thinning of the bones and skin
High sugar levels
To minimize these potential side effects, corticosteroids are prescribed in the lowest dose possible for as short of a length of time as needed to relieve the pain. Another way to minimize these side effects is to give the steroid by injection to target the particular problem area.

Important information for writing discussion questions and participation

Welcome to class

Hello class and welcome to the class and I will be your instructor for this course. This is a -week course and requires a lot of time commitment, organization, and a high level of dedication. Please use the class syllabus to guide you through all the assignments required for the course. I have also attached the classroom policies to this announcement to know your expectations for this course. Please review this document carefully and ask me any questions if you do. You could email me at any time or send me a message via the “message” icon in halo if you need to contact me. I check my email regularly, so you should get a response within 24 hours. If you have not heard from me within 24 hours and need to contact me urgently, please send a follow up text to

I strongly encourage that you do not wait until the very last minute to complete your assignments. Your assignments in weeks 4 and 5 require early planning as you would need to present a teaching plan and interview a community health provider. I advise you look at the requirements for these assignments at the beginning of the course and plan accordingly. I have posted the YouTube link that explains all the class assignments in detail. It is required that you watch this 32-minute video as the assignments from week 3 through 5 require that you follow the instructions to the letter to succeed. Failure to complete these assignments according to instructions might lead to a zero. After watching the video, please schedule a one-on-one with me to discuss your topic for your project by the second week of class. Use this link to schedule a 15-minute session. Please, call me at the time of your appointment on my number. Please note that I will NOT call you.

Please, be advised I do NOT accept any assignments by email. If you are having technical issues with uploading an assignment, contact the technical department and inform me of the issue. If you have any issues that would prevent you from getting your assignments to me by the deadline, please inform me to request a possible extension. Note that working fulltime or overtime is no excuse for late assignments. There is a 5%-point deduction for every day your assignment is late. This only applies to approved extensions. Late assignments will not be accepted.

If you think you would be needing accommodations due to any reasons, please contact the appropriate department to request accommodations.

Plagiarism is highly prohibited. Please ensure you are citing your sources correctly using APA 7th edition. All assignments including discussion posts should be formatted in APA with the appropriate spacing, font, margin, and indents. Any papers not well formatted would be returned back to you, hence, I advise you review APA formatting style. I have attached a sample paper in APA format and will also post sample discussion responses in subsequent announcements.

Your initial discussion post should be a minimum of 200 words and response posts should be a minimum of 150 words. Be advised that I grade based on quality and not necessarily the number of words you post. A minimum of TWO references should be used for your initial post. For your response post, you do not need references as personal experiences would count as response posts. If you however cite anything from the literature for your response post, it is required that you cite your reference. You should include a minimum of THREE references for papers in this course. Please note that references should be no more than 5 years old except recommended as a resource for the class. Furthermore, for each discussion board question, you need ONE initial substantive response and TWO substantive responses to either your classmates or your instructor for a total of THREE responses. There are TWO discussion questions each week, hence, you need a total minimum of SIX discussion posts for each week. I usually post a discussion question each week. You could also respond to these as it would count towards your required SIX discussion posts for the week.

I understand this is a lot of information to cover in 5 weeks, however, the Bible says in Philippians 4:13 that we can do all things through Christ that strengthens us. Even in times like this, we are encouraged by God’s word that we have that ability in us to succeed with His strength. I pray that each and every one of you receives strength for this course and life generally as we navigate through this pandemic that is shaking our world today. Relax and enjoy the course!

Hi Class,

Please read through the following information on writing a Discussion question response and participation posts.

Contact me if you have any questions.

Important information on Writing a Discussion Question

• Your response needs to be a minimum of 150 words (not including your list of references)
• There needs to be at least TWO references with ONE being a peer reviewed professional journal article.
• Include in-text citations in your response
• Do not include quotes—instead summarize and paraphrase the information
• Follow APA-7th edition
• Points will be deducted if the above is not followed

Participation –replies to your classmates or instructor

• A minimum of 6 responses per week, on at least 3 days of the week.
• Each response needs at least ONE reference with citations—best if it is a peer reviewed journal article
• Each response needs to be at least 75 words in length (does not include your list of references)
• Responses need to be substantive by bringing information to the discussion or further enhance the discussion. Responses of “I agree” or “great post” does not count for the word count.
• Follow APA 7th edition
• Points will be deducted if the above is not followed

• Remember to use and follow APA-7th edition for all weekly assignments, discussion questions, and participation points.
• Here are some helpful links
• The is a great resource

What Are Opioids?
Opioids are narcotic pain medications that contain natural, synthetic, or semi-synthetic opiates. Opioids are often used for acute pain, such as short-term pain after surgery. Some examples of opioids include:

Codeine
Fentanyl
Hydrocodone-acetaminophen
Morphine
Oxycodone
Oxycodone-acetaminophen
Opioids are effective for severe pain and do not cause bleeding in the stomach or other parts of the body, as can some other types of pain relievers. However, they can be extremely addictive, and doctors will try to find alternatives to prescribing them. It’s rare for people to become addicted to opioids if the drugs are used to treat pain for a short period of time. But if used to treat chronic pain, the risk of addiction is real and potentially dangerous.

Side effects of opioids may include:

Drowsiness
Nausea and vomiting
Constipation
Itching
Breathing problems
Addiction
What Are Antidepressants?
Antidepressants are drugs that can treat pain and emotional conditions by adjusting levels of neurotransmitters (natural chemicals) in the brain. These medications can increase the availability of the body’s signals for well-being and relaxation, enabling pain control for some people with chronic pain conditions that do not completely respond to usual treatments. Research suggests certain antidepressants (tricyclics) work best for neuropathic or nerve pain.

Chronic pain conditions treated by low-dose antidepressants include some types of headaches (like migraines) and menstrual pain. Some antidepressant medications include:

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as citalopram (Celexa), fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil), and sertraline (Zoloft)
Tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline, desipramine (Norpramin), doxepin (Silenor), imipramine (Tofranil), and nortriptyline (Pamelor)
Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) such as duloxetine (Cymbalta) and venlafaxine (Effexor)
These drugs require a steady dose of the medicine buildup in the body over a period of time to work. The doses needed to treat pain are often lower than those needed to treat depression.

Generally, SSRIs and SNRIs have fewer side effects than tricyclic antidepressants. The most common side effects with antidepressants include:

Blurry vision
Constipation
Difficulty urinating
Dry mouth
Fatigue
Nausea
Headache
Sexual dysfunction
What Are Anticonvulsants?
Anticonvulsants are drugs typically used to treat seizure disorders. Some of these medications are effective in treating pain as well. The exact way in which these medicines control pain is unclear, but it is thought that they minimize the effects of nerves that sense pain. Some examples include carbamazepine (Tegretol), gabapentin (Neurontin), pregabalin (Lyrica), and topiramate (Topamax).