They may cause nausea, stomach bleeding, or kidney problems. For severe pain, an opioid usually must be added. Morphine, codeine, and other opioids are most often used for acute pain, such as short-term pain after surgery. These medicines are effective for severe pain, and they do not cause bleeding in the stomach or elsewhere. It is rare for a patient to become addicted as a result of taking opioids for postoperative pain.
Local anesthetics are effective for severe pain.
Injections at the incision site block pain from that site. There is little or no risk of drowsiness, constipation, or breathing problems. Local anesthetics reduce the need for opioid use. Repeated injections are needed to maintain pain relief. An overdose of local anesthetic can have serious consequences.