Almost everyone has had a "confrontation" with pain in life.
Headache, stomachache , toothache, menstrual pain... In the face of all kinds of pain, sometimes a small painkiller can relieve the discomfort caused by the pain and save us from water and fire.
But other organs are all good. How do painkillers find the "pain points" and accurately relieve pain? Let’s answer for you today~
What’s the pain? Who complained to the brain?
Some pain is caused by nervous system , and some common pains are inflammatory pain. These pains are inseparable from the credit of "pain-causing factor" .
When the peripheral nerve in the painful area is subjected to physical factor (external stimulation, squeezing, fracture, etc.), or chemical stimulation (local inflammation, local strain, etc.), it will release the signal of feeling the pain and enter the brain through the afferent nerve.
After careful analysis and judgment, the brain transmits instructions to the body's trunk and limbs through nerves. At this point, you will feel the pain.
And these signals of feeling pain are pain-causing factors.
They are some endogenous chemical substances, such as potassium, hydrogen, calcium ion of inorganic salts, serotonin (5-HT), histamine , bradykinin (BK), substance P (SP), prostaglandin (PG), cytokine , etc.
pain-causing factor is released from the damaged tissue into the extracellular fluid, which directly or indirectly excites the nociceptors, and the "pain relay" begins.
For example, the important reason for dysmenorrhea for ladies is that prostaglandins promote strong uterine contractions, which causes pain. Pain caused by tooth extraction, falling, etc. is closely related to prostaglandin.
How to recognize the way of painkillers
When the pain has reached a certain level, it is time to let the painkillers appear. Take the most common 1 ibuprofen as an example.
After the painkiller enters the body, the 0th hour ↓
When you swallow a tablet of ibuprofen, the drug will first enter the stomach and be broken down by gastric acid. The dissolved drug molecules pass through the small intestine and liver one after another, and finally enter the circulatory system, and officially start work.
This process seems simple, but in fact they have been in your body for half an hour.
Hour 0.5↓
Ibuprofen after entering the circulatory system, patrolling around with the blood to find pain points. Ask all the way, and solve some minor pains, I finally traveled through mountains and rivers to the painful area. After analyzing the situation, ibuprofen found that the key to reducing this pain was to prevent prostaglandin synthesis.
So ibuprofen dispersed, using the body as a shield to prevent more prostaglandin synthesis.
Hours 1~2↓
More and more drug molecules gather at this pain point, and the pain relief effect is gradually obvious. This is why the pain relief effect within one or two hours will reach its peak after you take painkillers.
However, the synthesized prostaglandins cannot be reversed, so they can only keep "informing" the brain. In other words, ibuprofen can only prevent new pain, while the pain that has occurred can only be cured by time.
Therefore, when the painkiller first enters the body, you don’t know where you feel pain. You can only have analgesic effects after you pass through the blood throughout your body and reach your destination.
Some sisters think it is useless to take ibuprofen in dysmenorrhea, and it is very likely that it is because I took it late.
Is it addictive to taking painkillers?
Many people think that taking painkillers is not good. After all, it is three parts poisonous. Will taking it frequently become addictive?
To explain this issue clearly, you must first understand what painkillers are. Pain analgesics are mainly divided into two categories:
, medicines that act on the peripheral system
are generally non-steroidal anti-inflammatory painkillers. Commonly used include aspirin, ibuprofen, anti-inflammatory pain , paracetamol , balsone, rofecoxib , celecoxib and other .
This medicine has relatively weak pain relief, is widely used and has a precise therapeutic effect, and is used in common pain. is not addictive and can be purchased in pharmacies.
, medicines that act on central nervous system
generally includes non-anaesthetic painkillers represented by tramadol , which are mainly used for moderate levels of acute pain and post-operative pain. There are also anesthetic painkillers mainly used in patients with advanced cancer , represented by opioids such as morphine and dullydin. Drugs like
are prone to drug dependence, that is, addictive, so they are nationally controlled drugs and are difficult for us to buy in pharmacies.
Other problems with painkillers
. When to take it?
It is best to take 0.5~1h before pain. However, after taking the medicine, it did not effectively relieve the pain or even worsen, so it was necessary to go to the hospital for further examination.
Because some pain is stopped on the surface, it covers up the real cause, which is not conducive to patients and doctors to observe the condition and the site of the disease. For unexplained pain, such as headache, stomach pain, abdominal pain, etc., you should seek medical treatment in time to find out the cause.
. Can you keep eating it?
Usually painkillers that can be purchased on the market should not be taken for a long time or in large quantities. It is recommended to take 3-5 days as a cycle, and the specific details should be based on the drug instructions.
via: Fenbide-ibuprofen sustained release capsule instructions
Long-term painkillers will have certain side effects on the digestive system, kidneys, liver, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular system. In severe cases, it can also cause gastric perforation, renal failure, liver failure, etc.
. The more you eat, the better the effect?
painkiller does not have the effect of taking more. When the analgesic effect reaches a certain level, even if the dose is increased, it will not improve the pain relief effect, but will increase side effects.
Cold medicine, antipyretic medicine, and painkiller may contain acetaminophen , ibuprofen and other antipyretic analgesic ingredients. Taking them together may lead to overdose. You should take the medicine as prescribed by the doctor.
It should be noted that painkillers should not be taken on an empty stomach, as they may stimulate the gastrointestinal tract.
. Can dysmenorrhea take painkillers?
Of course, it's OK. Ladies who have frequent and severe dysmenorrhea can take painkillers when they experience mild pain. Don't wait until the pain is severe before taking it. Stop misunderstanding such a great invention because of all kinds of rumors!
Finally, although painkillers seem to be universal, not all pain can be solved with painkillers. We can only take painkillers after we have clarified the cause of the pain.
Special reminder: The content of this issue has been reviewed by professional doctors.The above popular science content is only for experience exchange. Considering individual differences, if you feel uncomfortable, you can consult professional doctors online; if you have acute illness, please go to the offline hospital for treatment immediately!
Planning and production
centric health new media group (reproduction is prohibited without authorization)
Reference
[1] China Cardiovascular Health and Disease Report Writing Group, Hu Shengshou. Overview of China Cardiovascular Health and Disease Report 2021[J]. China Circulation Magazine, 2022, 37(6):26.
[2] Physical Function and Subsequent Risk of Cardiovascular Events in Older Adults: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/JAHA.121.025780
[3]Dr EmmaneulStamatakis PhD,MSc,BSc. Which Sports Reduce Risk of Mortality. British Journalof Sports Medicine, 2016.
