Analgesic is that linked to the analgesia : the absence or elimination of pain . The substances that cause this analgesia are called analgesics.
Thus, when a person talks about painkillers, they are probably referring to a drug intended to mitigate a painful sensation at body . Pain relievers are indicated by doctors to placate body pain (in the muscles, in the bones, etc.).
The best known analgesic is the aspirin . In addition to calming the pain, this pain reliever is anti-inflammatory (reduces or eliminates inflammations) and antipyretic (fever decreases) This causes a wide variety of ailments and mild disorders of the Health They can be treated with aspirin.
The morphine It is also a pain reliever. Unlike aspirins, which are over-the-counter, morphine supply is regulated since it is a narcotic drug that causes addiction. Because of its potent analgesic action, morphine is usually prescribed after surgery or in the treatment of Cancer .
It is important to keep in mind that all pain relievers have contraindications and can cause adverse effects. Aspirin, for example, can cause intestinal problems, including ulcers. As it is a platelet antiaggregant, it helps fight the development of clots in veins and arteries but, for the same reason, can cause haemorrhages .
Beyond these issues, paying attention to leaflets and consulting a medical specialist, pain relievers are beneficial for fighting everyday discomforts such as Muscle pain wave headache .
Specific damages due to abuse of painkillers
Medicine has defined very clearly the damage that can cause abuse from painkillers to every part of our body. Let's look at the most important cases below.
Drugs such as opiates they can suppress our ability to breathe, and in this way interfere with the proper functioning of lungs . For this reason it is considered that there is a direct relationship between the abuse of these analgesics and pneumonia.
Inhaling certain opioids, such as hydrocodone or oxycodone, on the other hand, can lead to fluid accumulation in the lungs, and this leads to a particular difficulty breathing .
Abuse of painkillers can also affect the gastrointestinal system . In the case of opiates, even a moderate dose can cause constipation. When a person increases the dose well beyond the recommended values, it is common to become dependent on laxatives to stimulate bowel movement, and this can lead to damage in the sphincter or anus, like the painful fissures.
As can be seen, it is not always the action of the analgesic that is consumed too much that directly affects us, but in some cases the greater damage begins with the measures that we must take to counteract its effects .
Consuming analgesics in too high amounts also puts in risk the integrity of liver , since any drug must be broken down and processed by this organ. The stress suffered by the liver due to excess pain relievers can lead to the storage of toxins.
He paracetamol found in many of the pain relievers is the cause of the worst liver damage: the abuse of pickups of Lortab, Percocet and Vicodin, to mention some of the medications in which it is presented in high concentrations, can lead to liver failure.
In summary, we should not underestimate the consequences of analgesic abuse, since in some cases this behavior can be deadly. It is important, therefore, to follow the instructions of the doctors and always contrast them with those present in the leaflets of medications.
