Our Health Library information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Please be advised that this information is made available to assist our patients to learn more about their health. Our providers may not see and/or treat all topics found herein. Pain is your body's way of warning you that something is wrong. If you step on a sharp object or put your hand on a hot stove, the pain lets you know right away that you are hurt and need to protect yourself. You may have pain from an injury, after surgery, or from a health problem like cancer, osteoarthritis, low back pain, headaches, or fibromyalgia. Your body feels pain through nerves in your skin and organs. These nerve endings send pain signals to your brain. Pain can affect: You can have more than one kind of pain at the same time. For example, cancer can cause pain in your bones and your organs. Pain feels different for everyone. Something that doesn't bother one person might feel very bad to someone else. Pain can feel sharp or dull. It may throb or burn. It may be in one part of your body, such as with a headache or a stomach ulcer. Or you may feel pain all over, like when your muscles ache from intense exercise or the flu. Some pain may be so mild that you can ignore it until it goes away. But other pain may be so bad that you can't do your daily activities without medicine or other treatment. Pain may last for a short time or a long time. It may come and go or it may be constant. Pain that starts quickly and lasts for a short time is called acute pain. Examples include pain from an injury, a headache, childbirth, or right after surgery. Pain that goes on for months or years is called chronic pain. You may have this pain from an injury that doesn't heal or from a health problem like low back pain, very bad headaches, or diabetic neuropathy. Health Tools help you make wise health decisions or take action to improve your health. Controlling your pain can help you to: Long-term pain that isn't controlled can take the joy from your life. You may not be able to work. Physical activity may be too painful or exhausting. You may have a hard time sleeping at night, which can make you tired and cranky. Your outlook on life may change and strain your relationships with family and friends. You may become depressed and anxious. Controlling pain can help with all these things. Many different treatments can ease pain. Medicines are the most common treatment. But to feel better, you will need to do more than take medicine, such as reducing your stress level or changing how you think. You also can try physical therapy, relaxation, acupuncture, and other ways to feel better. Talk with your doctor about what mix of treatments might work best for you. Your treatment depends on several things, including: If you have pain for a long time, your treatment may change over time. Medicines can help you get better and can even save your life. But they can also be dangerous, especially if you don't take them the right way. Be safe with medicines. Read and follow all instructions on the label. Several types of medicines can be used to treat pain. Most of these medicines can treat more than one kind of pain. So you may need to try a couple of medicines to see which works best for you. Your doctor will work with you to find the right types and dosage of medicine. You may take more than one kind of medicine at the same time. Examples Types of pain Acetaminophen: Corticosteroids: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) : Anticonvulsants: Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) antidepressants: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants: Tricyclic and tetracyclic antidepressants: NMDA receptor antagonists: All medicines have side effects. For more information, see the Side Effects of Pain Medicines section of this topic. Learn more about: You may want to try other ways to help you relax and ease pain. These may include: For more information, see the topic Complementary Medicine. Stress can make pain worse. It can tighten your muscles, which can cause headaches and pain in your neck, shoulders, and back. Try these methods to reduce stress and pain: For more information, see the topic Stress Management. How you think can affect how you feel. You may be able to reduce your pain by stopping negative thoughts. You can change what you say to yourself about your pain. To help your outlook, try the methods described in these topics: For more information, see the topic Stop Negative Thoughts: Choosing a Healthier Way of Thinking. Pain can get worse slowly. So it can be hard to tell if your pain is getting worse, especially if you've had it for a while. But you can look for signs that your pain is worse. You may notice that: Using a pain scale and a pain diary can help you know how much pain you're having. These tools also can help you tell your doctor what your pain feels like so that he or she can help you. You can use these tools for short-term or long-term pain. Health professionals often use a pain scale to find out how much pain a person has. The scale is from 0 to 10, with "0" being no pain and "10" being the worst possible pain. To use a pain scale, write down how strong your pain is and when it comes and goes. Use a pain diary to keep a record of your pain. Write down what pain medicines you're taking and how well they are working. Also write down anything else you're doing to control your pain. Note the details of your pain so you can tell your doctor. Is it burning? Throbbing? Steady? How long does it last? Take your diary and pain scale and any questions with you when you see your doctor. Talk to your doctor anytime you have new pain or your pain gets worse. All medicines have side effects. But many side effects can be managed so that you can still take the medicine. Talk to your doctor if you have any side effects. Your doctor may change your dose or the type of medicine you take. Opioid pain relievers are strong medicines. They can help you manage pain when you use them the right way. But if you misuse them, they can cause serious harm and even death. For these reasons, it is important to use them exactly as your doctor prescribes. But you can develop opioid use disorder. Moderate to severe opioid use disorder is sometimes called addiction. The risk is higher if you have a history of substance use. Your doctor will monitor you closely for signs of opioid use disorder and to figure out when you no longer need to take opioids. If you are worried about developing this disorder, talk with your doctor. If you are taking a long-acting opioid pain reliever, make sure you know how to use it safely. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an advisory on antidepressant medicines and the risk of suicide. Talk with your doctor about these possible side effects and the warning signs of suicide. For more information, see the topic Dealing With Medicine Side Effects and Interactions. The best way to control your pain is to follow your treatment plan and give it time to work. The goal of your treatment plan is to be able to function and do the things you need to do, even if you still have some pain. Some treatments may take a few days or weeks to improve your pain. You and your doctor can talk about how long you should stay on a medicine or other treatment. It's very important to take your medicines exactly as your doctor prescribes. Following your doctor's advice will help you get the right amount of medicine with as few side effects as possible. It also will help you and your doctor know if a medicine is working for you. Make sure to tell your doctor about any medicines or herbal supplements you take. Your other medicines and supplements could mix in a bad way with your pain medicines. This could keep the pain medicine from working as well as it could. Make the most of your pain medicines by following these rules: Learn more about: Only you can tell how much pain you have and whether it's getting better or worse. Talk to your doctor anytime you have new pain, your pain gets worse, or your treatment isn't controlling your pain. Some people may think they're weak if they tell their doctor about their pain. Or they worry that they're bothering their doctor. You're not weak. And you're not bothering the doctor. Your doctor wants to help you. But to help you, the doctor needs to know how you really feel. Call your doctor if: Needing other people for emotional support is a normal part of life. You may have to lean on family and friends if you're getting over an injury or surgery or if you live with pain much of the time. It can be hard sometimes to ask for help. But don't be afraid to reach out. Other people can help you—and they may be eager to help. Along with your family and friends, you can seek support from: For more information, see the topic Support Groups and Social Support. Current as of: February 23, 2022 Author: Healthwise Staff Next Section: Previous Section: Next Section: Previous Section: Next Section: Previous Section: Next Section: Previous Section: Next Section: Previous Section: Next Section: Previous Section: Next Section: Previous Section: Next Section: Previous Section: Next Section: Previous Section: Next Section: Previous Section: Current as of: February 23, 2022 Author: Healthwise Staff Medical Review:Anne C. Poinier MD - Internal Medicine & E. Gregory Thompson MD - Internal Medicine & Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine & Martin J. Gabica MD - Family Medicine & Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine & Nancy Greenwald MD - Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Learn how we develop our content. To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise.org. © 1995-2022 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.Pain Management
Topic Overview
What is pain?
What are the different types of pain?
Does all pain feel the same?
How long can pain last?
Health Tools
Reasons to Control Pain
Tests & Treatments
Medicines to treat pain
Other treatments
Reducing stress
Changing how you think
Knowing When Pain Is Worse
Use a pain scale
Use a pain diary
Side Effects of Pain Medicines
Examples of side effects of over-the-counter medicines
No one younger than 20 should take aspirin. It has been linked to Reye syndrome, a serious illness.Examples of side effects of prescription medicines
Because of the chance of side effects, doctors usually try to prescribe steroid medicines only for a short time.Following a Treatment Plan
Don't wait for pain to get bad
When to Call Your Doctor
Getting Support
Related Information
Credits
Medical Review:
Anne C. Poinier MD - Internal Medicine
E. Gregory Thompson MD - Internal Medicine
Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine
Martin J. Gabica MD - Family Medicine
Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine
Nancy Greenwald MD - Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Our Health Library information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Please be advised that this information is made available to assist our patients to learn more about their health. Our providers may not see and/or treat all topics found herein. Current as of: February 23, 2022 Author: Healthwise Staff Medical Review:Anne C. Poinier MD - Internal Medicine & E. Gregory Thompson MD - Internal Medicine & Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine & Martin J. Gabica MD - Family Medicine & Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine & Nancy Greenwald MD - Physical Medicine and RehabilitationPain Management