What is a nonopioid analgesic and how does it affect the body?
Pain is the oldest complaint that medicine has attempted to treat, and there are thousands of different ways that we try to reduce pain with chemicals.. some examples: Most non-opoid pain relievers work by inhibiting prostaglandins or cyclo-oxygenases (COX) which form prostaglandins. These act as natural muscle inflammatories/constrictors or even on the spinal neurons themselves. They are a protective device to produce pain, swelling and reduced range of motion when there is possible damage to tissue in the body. The two classes of drugs include NSAIDS (aspirin, acetominaphen/paracetamol [Tylenol], ibuprofen [Motrin], ketoprofen, naproxen, ketorolac and dozens of variants, COX inhibitors (celecoxib [Celebrex], rofecoxib), and many, many, many more. Steroids themselves (cortisone, prednisone, etc.) are very effective at reducing inflammation but have short half-lives and usually can’t be effectively given in oral form. Some anticonvulsants have analgesic properties too, and are prescrib
