painkiller
Dulls the hurt
A painkiller is a drug that relieves pain.
The term covers everything from aspirin to morphine: I took a painkiller for my headache.
Painkillers work through various mechanisms—blocking pain signals, reducing inflammation, or altering perception in the brain.
The word sometimes appears in discussions of addiction, since many powerful painkillers are opioids.
Common over-the-counter analgesic
- ibuprofenAnti-inflammatory pain reliever
- aspirinAcetylsalicylic acid tablet
- naproxenAnti-inflammatory analgesic drug
- paracetamolOver-the-counter pain medication
tramadol · codeine · morphine · oxycodone · hydrocodone · diclofenac · indomethacin · buprenorphine
Acetylsalicylic acid tablet
- ibuprofenAnti-inflammatory pain reliever
- acetaminophenCommon over-the-counter analgesic
- naproxenAnti-inflammatory analgesic drug
- paracetamolOver-the-counter pain medication
Opioid analgesic medication
- codeineOpium-derived painkiller
- oxycodonePowerful prescription pain reliever
- hydrocodoneOpioid pain reliever
- fentanylSynthetic pain-blocking compound
tramadol · methadone · buprenorphine · heroin · opium · narcotic · addiction · dependence
Reduction of intensity
- soothingReducing distress or discomfort
- comfortEase or soothing relief
- easeLack of strain
- respiteShort pause from hardship
numbing · dulling · palliative · mitigation · amelioration · sedation · relaxation · recovery
Induced loss of feeling
- anestheticPain-blocking substance
- postoperativeAfter an operation
- preoperativeBefore a medical procedure
- recoveryRegaining what was lost
sedation · injection · epidural · spinal · local · nerve block · incision · wound
Therapeutic needle insertion
- massageSoft tissue manipulation
- chiropracticSpine-focused alternative medicine
- physiotherapyTreatment restoring bodily function
- hydrotherapyWater-based medical treatment
yoga · meditation · mindfulness · stretching · biofeedback · TENS · heat therapy · ice pack
acetaminophen
Common over-the-counter analgesic
- ibuprofenAnti-inflammatory pain reliever
- aspirinAcetylsalicylic acid tablet
- naproxenAnti-inflammatory analgesic drug
paracetamol · tramadol · codeine · morphine · oxycodone · hydrocodone · diclofenac · indomethacin · buprenorphine · fentanyl
aspirin
Acetylsalicylic acid tablet
- ibuprofenAnti-inflammatory pain reliever
- acetaminophenCommon over-the-counter analgesic
- naproxenAnti-inflammatory analgesic drug
paracetamol · NSAIDs · tablet · capsule · dosage · pharmacy · drugstore
morphine
Opioid analgesic medication
- codeineOpium-derived painkiller
- oxycodonePowerful prescription pain reliever
- hydrocodoneOpioid pain reliever
fentanyl · tramadol · methadone · buprenorphine · heroin · opium · narcotic · addiction · dependence · withdrawal
alleviation
Reduction of intensity
respite · numbing · dulling · palliative · mitigation · amelioration · sedation · relaxation · recovery · reduction
anesthesia
Induced loss of feeling
- anestheticPain-blocking substance
- postoperativeAfter an operation
- preoperativeBefore a medical procedure
recovery · sedation · injection · epidural · spinal · local · nerve block · incision · wound · hospital
acupuncture
Therapeutic needle insertion
- massageSoft tissue manipulation
- chiropracticSpine-focused alternative medicine
- physiotherapyTreatment restoring bodily function
hydrotherapy · yoga · meditation · mindfulness · stretching · biofeedback · TENS · heat therapy · ice pack · arnica
- medicationspills, Tylenol, capsules, tablets, Xanax
- Medicinespill, tablet, aspirin, tablets, penicillin
- Headache Remediessumatriptan, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, aspirin, naproxen
- injectablesvaccine, filler, insulin, dermal filler, epidural
- Neuroactive Drugsdopamine, serotonin, GABA, acetylcholine, norepinephrine
- cocktailsmartini, margarita, Manhattan, mojito, daiquiri
painkillerirritant
Source of vexation
torture device · vesicant · capsaicin · caustic · stinging nettle
- painkiller abuseExcessive use of pain medication