Because it reduces inflammation, ibuprofen is better for osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis, period pain, some types of headache and after an operation. Paracetamol is better for pain with fever.
Unlike opioid drugs like morphine and fentanyl that travel throughout the body, the opioids your body produces are released in small quantities to specific locations.
Epidurals deliver nerve-blocking drugs into the back for pain relief during labour and after surgeries. Epidural kits are currently in short supply, with their use prioritised for obstetric patients.
We researched how much difference opioids like codeine, oxycodone or morphine make to osteoarthritis pain. We found they helped about as much as paracetamol. Yet they are far more dangerous.
A growing body of research points to the body’s natural cannabinoid system as the primary driver behind the runner’s high – and the mental health boost and stress relief following exercise.
A panel of experts has urged caution regarding paracetamol during pregnancy. But that doesn’t change current advice to discuss pain relief with your doctor or pharmacist.
While the COVID-19 pandemic raged on, the opioid epidemic got worse as drug overdose deaths soared. New research proposes a way to chemically modify opioids to reduce the risk of addiction.
Palliative care is about living well and meeting patients’ goals, but referral can be more complex than access to medical assistance in dying (MAID). Palliative care should be as accessible as MAID.
Scientists in the UK and Germany discovered a new doorway that the COVID-19 virus uses to infect human cells. This reveals new therapeutic possibilities for blocking the virus.
These strategies for easing needle pain and fear make vaccinations and other injections easier for parents and children. They are simple and helpful for all ages, from infants to adults.
Most medical historians agree that one of the most important advances in medicine was the use of ether to numb pain during surgery. Just who deserves credit for this has been another story.
Tao Che, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Scientists have taken atomic resolution snapshots of an opioid receptor interacting with a drug. Now they are using these images to design “biased” opioids that block pain without the dangerous side effects.