Chronic Pain Today

Acetaminophen, or APAP, is the drug behind the popular brand Tylenol. It is just as effective as NSAIDs are for pain relief, but they do not have the ability to bring down inflammation. They do have a few side effects, but is generally well tolerated in most individuals.

Examples of Acetaminophen Brands:
Tylenol
Feverall
Tempra
Aspirin Free Anacin

Dosages of Acetaminophen:
Most adults should be given the dose of a gram. This means two extra strength 500mg tablets, or three regular strength 325mg tablets. Pay special attention that you are not double dosing, as some of the popular cough and cold formulas add acetaminophen to their mix and this will still count toward your daily allowance of the drug.

Sometimes acetaminophen is added to opiods to provide better pain relief.

NSAIDs, or nonsteriodal anti-inflammatory drugs, are very common. The most common of these is the drug ibuprofen. Most are sold without a prescription but some are still regulated and need a prescription to obtain. These are short acting and typically take more to notice an affect. They can cause bleeding after long term use, so care should be taken. They are good for pain relief and for relieving inflammation. Remember for NSAIDs, higher doses do not equal more pain relief. You should call a doctor if you notice blood in the stool, stomach pain, or black stools, as this is a sign of a problem.

Examples of Non-Prescription NSAID Brands:
Naproxen
Aleve
Advil
Exedrin
Motrin
Nuprin
Pamprin
Aspirin
Ecotrin
Bufferin

Examples of Prescription NSAID Brands:
Fenoprofen (Nalfon)
Oxaprozin (Daypro)
Etodolac (Lodine)
Sulindac (Clinoril)
Tolmetin (Tolectin)
Nabumetone (Relafen)