EXPLAINING ENDOMETRIOSIS: PAIN MEDICATIONS
Analgesics are drugs which are used to relieve or control pain by interrupting the transmission of the pain message at some point along its pathway.
Analgesics are extremely useful for the relief of short-term pain, such as dysmenorrhoea and ovulation pain but, in general, they should not be used for the control of chronic ongoing pain.
It must be remembered that analgesics only treat the symptoms of endometriosis — they have no effect on the disease itself.
There are several types of analgesics, including simple analgesics, compound analgesics, narcotic analgesics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Simple analgesics
The simple analgesics are aspirin and paracetamol. Both are highly effective in relieving mild to moderate pain. They relieve pain by blocking the production of prostaglandins, which are chemicals produced by the body which cause inflammation and pain.
Aspirin is more effective than paracetamol in reducing inflammation and therefore it may be more suitable for women with dysmenorrhoea due to endometriosis. However, some believe that aspirin should not be used for the treatment of dysmenorrhoea as it may promote heavy bleeding.
Aspirin and paracetamol can usually be purchased without a prescription from chemists and supermarkets. Some of the more commonly available brand names of aspirin are Disprin, Aspro Clear, Winsprin and Solprin, while the most common brand names of paracetamol are Panadol, Panamax and Dynamon.
The main side effects of aspirin are irritation and bleeding of the stomach but these can usually be avoided by taking the drug with food or a glass of milk. Paracetamol does not cause irritation or bleeding of the stomach.
Compound analgesics
The compound analgesics are a group of analgesics which usually contain a combination of a mild narcotic such as codeine or dextropropoxyphene hydrochloride and either aspirin or paracetamol.
The milder compound analgesics usually contain a small amount of codeine and either aspirin or paracetamol. They are available without a prescription from chemists and the more common brand names include Codis, Codiphen, Codral, Aspalgin, Veganin, Panadeine, Panamax Co, Dymadon Co, Codalgin and Perpain.
The stronger compound analgesics usually contain a larger amount of codeine or dextropropoxyphene hydrochloride and either aspirin or paracetamol. They are only available on a doctor’s prescription. The more common brand names include Codral Forte, Panadeine Forte, Capadex, Doloxene and Digesic.
Codeine can cause constipation even at relatively small doses so it should be used with care or avoided if you have bowel symptoms which are exacerbated by constipation. Codeine is also addictive, especially if taken in large amounts or for prolonged periods. The stronger compound analgesics containing codeine should only be used for several days at a time.
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