Analgesic Therapy

Analgesic therapy is the use of drugs, called analgesics, painkillers or pain relievers, to manage pain, spanning a wide range of drug classes from over-the-counter options such as many nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to prescription medications reserved for more severe pain because of their risk of overdose, misuse and addiction. Analgesics are conceptually distinct from anesthetics, which reduce or eliminate sensation generally rather than treating pain specifically, although the two effects overlap physiologically and some drugs act as both. Because pain has different underlying causes, analgesic choice depends on the type of pain being treated; for neuropathic pain in particular, drug classes not usually considered analgesics, including certain antidepressants and anticonvulsants, are sometimes used as alternatives.