2001 Pain can be a constant, unwelcome companion. Relieving pain is sometimes simple, sometimes impossible. It depends on the source of the pain and it may also depend on the person. When the pain becomes too much to bear or is the result of a serious injury or surgery, relief requires stronger medicine and a doctor's prescription. Prostoglandins are believed to play an important role in the pain, heat, redness and swelling that occur following tissue damage.
Opiate drugs are another class of pain-relieving prescription drugs.
Most of these drugs are derived from opium, the juice of the poppy flower. Opiate drugs work by altering the transmission of pain messages in the brain and spinal cord, blocking pain messages or altering their character. The pain-blocking action of the opiates can be enhanced by taking aspirin, ibuprofen or acetaminophen at the same time as the opiate. Unfortunately, the effect of opiates on the brain isn't limited to pain control. Opiates can cause drowsiness, nausea, constipation and unpleasant mood changes in some people.