Analgesic drugs have the main function of reducing acute or chronic pain, improving the quality of life of people who suffer from this problem.
Prolonged and repeated use of analgesic drugs can cause their action to decrease or, in some cases, lead to dependence. Thus, there are some techniques that, depending on the type of pain, can improve the effect of analgesics.
1. Add caffeine
Some analgesics, such as paracetamol, dipyrone or acetylsalicylic acid, are often associated with ceffeine in order to potentiate its action. This is because caffeine helps to reduce blood vessel dilation, which is very important to treat headaches or migraines, and also increases its analgesic effect.
2. Do small physical exercises
In the case of joint pain as in diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, taking exercise slowly helps to eliminate the morning joint pain that characterizes this disease.
In some types of muscle pain, doing small exercises with the physical therapist has an effect on decreasing pain in the long term.
3. Use heat or cold to lessen pain
Since pain can result from inflammation, using ice helps to improve the effect of pain relievers as it lessens the intensity of inflammation.
In the case of muscle pain, the use of heat may be more advisable than the use of ice, as the heat helps the muscles to relax and reduce the pain.
4. Take medication correctly
Analgesics must be taken strictly and according to the doctor’s instructions or the package insert that comes with the medication, respecting the schedule.
Prolonged use of painkillers can cause their effect to decrease over time or, if anti-inflammatory drugs are used, cause stomach pain.
5. Do acupuncture, yoga or relaxation techniques
In chronic pain, in addition to taking medication, it may be necessary to use other techniques to reduce pain and improve quality of life, since this pain can limit daily activities.
Acupuncture is a technique that, through needles, stimulates some regions of the body to release analgesic and relaxing substances, improving the effect of pain medication.
Yoga is a relaxation technique that, in addition to helping to reduce stress and anxiety caused by pain, also relaxes the body.