How to Take Painkillers Safely About 40 million Americans suffer from some form of chronic or severe pain. Many will seek relief with painkilling drugs or analgesics.
Painkillers treat the symptom of pain rather than the root cause.
This type of painkiller, such as aspirin or acetaminophen, provides relief from pain at the site of the injury or inflammation. These are not habit forming and they maintain effectiveness even after repeated use. Analgesics such as codeine or morphine provide relief by acting on the central nervous system, rather than by decreasing inflammation. The cause of the pain does not disappear, but it is easier to endure. These drugs also cause sedation.