How To Find the Side Effects of Pain Medication

Millions of people use pain medications to relieve pain caused by simple headaches or chronic pain. Some people take pain relievers, pain medicine, pain drugs or pain pills for pain control, or to tolerate chronic pain and live productive lives. The list of the more common pain medications used include Tylenol or acetaminophen, muscle relaxants, oral steroids, NSAIDs, narcotic drugs, and anti-depressants.

Some people are hesitant to take any pain medicine out of fear of becoming dependent or addicted to pain pills, or pain relievers, while others fear the side effects of these drugs. The key to proper pain management is to use the right pain control methods. First consult the right doctor to prescribe the proper medication, know more about the pain medicines you are taking and the possible side effects, or cause for addiction.

Managing the side effects of pain medication can make the treatment of chronic pain more effective. You need not suffer more from the side effects of the pain pills or pain drugs to get pain relief. Inform your doctor about the side effects and the discomforts you feel. Many side effects may be unpleasant but can be relieved.

Here's a list to help you learn how to identify side effects from pain medication:

• Nausea - If the pain reliever causes nausea, you might have to try another kind of pain pill or you may be asked to take an anti-emetic that will stop the nausea. When you are able to tolerate the pain, the nausea disappears. This side effect can be easily controlled and should be tolerated.
• Slow breathing - People with congestive heart failure or lung disease may experience shortness of breath or pain, and often use opioids to ease breathlessness. Take extra care when using opioids for people near death. Though the opioids provide comfort in relieving severe pain, it could cause breathing to slow down that can hasten a person's death.
• Constipation - Constipation is one of the most difficult side effects of pain medication. To prevent constipation, take a stool softener, laxative or an occasional enema. As the dose of pain medication is increased, so should the laxatives and stool softeners you take be increased.
• Drowsiness - Ask your doctor to prescribe pain medication that will not cause excessive sleepiness or drowsiness. Ask if you can safely drive a vehicle if you take the pain medication he prescribed. Be prepared to experience increased drowsiness for one or two days if your dose of pain medication is increased. This may just be because you have not been sleeping well and need more sleep. Once you have developed a tolerance to the drowsiness, it will lessen. If you are drowsy for two or three days, inform your doctor to determine if another medication is causing the drowsiness, or you need to counteract the drug's sedating effects with a stimulant.
• Confusion or delirium - To avoid confusion or delirium caused by certain pain medications from continuing or getting worse, your doctor should reduce the dose prescribed. Adjusting the dosage usually avoids the problem.
• Myoclonus or muscle twitching - If the dose of the pain medication is too high, some people develop muscle twitching or myoclonus. If the myoclonus interferes with your daily activities, a muscle relaxant should be taken or the prescribed pain medication changed.