Also called: Analgesics · Pain medicines · Painkillers
Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.
About Pain Relievers
Pain relievers are medicines that reduce or relieve headaches, sore muscles, arthritis, or other aches and pains. There are many different pain medicines, and each has advantages and risks. Some types of pain respond better to certain medicines than others. Each person may also have a slightly different response to a pain reliever.
Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines are good for many types of pain. Two types of OTC pain medicines are usually recommended for mild to moderate pain.
- Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is used in many OTC and prescription medicines. It's often considered safer than other pain relievers. Unfortunately, it's common for people to take too much accidentally. Be careful not to take too much each day or use more than one medicine with acetaminophen. Check with your health care provider before taking medicines containing acetaminophen for more than ten days or five days for your child.
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) include aspirin, naproxen (Aleve), and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin). These pain relievers are often most effective if you have pain and inflammation (swelling), such as for arthritis or menstrual cramps. If you take more than the recommended amount, NSAIDs may cause nausea, stomach pain, or ulcers.
If OTC pain relievers don't relieve your pain, your provider may prescribe something stronger. Many NSAIDs are also available at higher prescription doses.
The most powerful pain relievers are opioids, sometimes called narcotics. They include strong prescription pain relievers such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, or morphine. Opioids are sometimes used to treat moderate to severe pain. Your provider may give you a prescription to reduce pain after you have had a major injury or surgery.
Opioids are very effective, but they can sometimes have serious side effects. There is also a risk of addiction. Because of the risks, you must use them only under your provider's supervision.
Pain relievers are just one part of a pain treatment plan. Environmental factors, stress, and beliefs about pain may affect the way you feel about pain and respond to treatment.
There are many things you can do to help ease pain. Treatment depends on the cause and type of pain. It's important to check with your provider before trying any of them. A few non-drug treatments for pain include:
- Acupuncture
- Hot or cold packs
- Massage therapy
- Physical therapy
- Relaxation techniques
It sits within Drug Therapy.
When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.
Research on Pain Relievers
3,019 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.
What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.
Research currently under way
- Comparison of Postoperative Analgesic Efficacy of Two Different Blocks in Modified Radical Mastectomy SurgerySultan Abdulhamid Han Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
- Natural History of Depression, Bipolar Disorder and Suicide RiskNational Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
- Ultrasound-Guided Bilateral Transversalis Fascia Plane Block With vs Without Dexamethasone for Cesarean DeliveryBahçeşehir University
- Quadroiliac Plane Block for Analgesia After Renal TransplantationKanuni Sultan Suleyman Training and Research Hospital
- Analgesic Efficacy of Ultrasound-Guided Deep Iliacus Plane Block in Patients Undergoing Hip Fracture SurgeryKanuni Sultan Suleyman Training and Research Hospital
- Optimizing Pain Treatment in Children On Mechanical VentilationWeill Medical College of Cornell University
Research already completed
- Randomized Study of an Analgesic Device Enabling Local Anesthetic Delivery and Neuromodulation After Shoulder/Foot SurgeryUniversity of California, San Diego
- Improving Communication About Pain and OpioidsUniversity of California, Davis
- The Anesthetic and Analgesic Effect of Adjunct Liposomal Bupivacaine in Periodontal Surgical ProceduresThe University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
- Transcutaneous Pulsed Radiofrequency for the Treatment of Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy PainAlgiamed Technologies USA, Inc.
- Effect of Coffee on Postdural Puncture Headache After Cesarean SectionHacettepe University
Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.
Where to read more
Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.
Start Here
- Pain Relievers: Understanding Your OTC OptionsAmerican Academy of Family Physicians
- Treatment of PainMerck & Co., Inc.
Diagnosis and Tests
- Acetaminophen LevelNational Library of Medicine
- Salicylates LevelNational Library of Medicine
Related Issues
- Don't Overuse AcetaminophenFood and Drug Administration
- Keeping Kidneys Safe: Smart Choices about MedicinesNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
- Pain Management After SurgeryAmerican Academy of Family Physicians
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: AnalgesicsNational Institutes of Health
- ClinicalTrials.gov: NarcoticsNational Institutes of Health
Medical subject headings
Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Analgesics, Non-Narcotic. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.
This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Pain Relievers, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.