The act of easing pain by using analgesics.
The management of pain often involves analgesic medications. Commonly used drugs include paracetamol, aspirin, and codeine. If pain is associated with inflammation, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can be effective. Intense pain might necessitate the use of opioids, like morphine. For nerve pain conditions, such as trigeminal neuralgia or the burning sensation often seen in diabetes mellitus, treatments might include tricyclic antidepressants (e.g., amitriptyline) or anticonvulsant medications (like carbamazepine or gabapentin).
Alternative pain relief techniques encompass massage, ice-packs, poultices, TENS, acupuncture, and hypnosis. In rare instances where other suitable treatments are ineffective, surgery, such as a sympathectomy, might be conducted to disable the pain-transmitting nerves.