Staring at the screen for hours or getting stressed can cause headaches. Headache is pain or discomfort in the head and face that's often described as constant or throbbing. Usually, it goes away on its own after some time, but taking some painkillers provides immediate relief.

Painkillers have been developed to relieve a distressing feeling caused by injury or damage called pain. They work for various types of pain and levels of pain. But what are these painkillers, and what happens when we take them?

Painkillers, also known as Analgesics, are medications used to relieve different types and levels of pain — from slight headaches to writhing injuries to bone-cracking arthritis.

Oral as liquids, tablets, or capsules.

Injection

Anus as suppositories

Topical as creams, ointments, gels or patches

These routes may be due to the types of pain relievers used and the kind of pain it's addressing. Different types and degrees of pain are treated by their suited painkillers.

Painkillers come in two main types — Over-the-counter (OTC) painkillers and Prescription painkillers.

OTC painkillers are analgesics that can be bought easily from a pharmacy store. The pharmacist can easily give it to you without any prying questions. These medicines relieve many types of pain, such as headaches and muscle aches. This type of pain reliever is classified into two subtypes: nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and acetaminophen (Tylenol).

Anti-inflammatory painkillers work by reducing inflammation, hence killing the pain. Aspirin, naproxen, and ibuprofen are examples of Over-the-counter NSAIDs. On the other hand, acetaminophen works by making the brain increase the pain threshold of the body. That way, you feel less pain. However, if OTC analgesics don't relieve your pain, your doctor may prescribe something stronger.

Prescription painkillers are drugs that can be bought only when it is prescribed to you by a doctor. A pharmacist can give you this without seeing a prescription script from a licensed doctor. They are not easily gotten because of the risk of addiction. A good example of a prescription pain reliever is opioids.

Opioid is a powerful class of drugs that are used to treat moderate to severe pain. It works by activating opioid receptors in the brain. Opioid receptors are an area of nerve cells in the brain that block pain signals between the brain and the body. But what happens in the body when analgesics are administered?

Stumping toes is a common accident, and when it happens, pain is present in that area. What happens is that a protein known as COX2 triggers the release of chemicals called prostaglandins.

In turn, prostaglandins send a signal to the brain informing it that there is damage to the stumped toe. Following the interpretation from the brain, pain is felt at the injury site.

Painkillers such as ibuprofen, aspirin, and paracetamol bind to the protein COX2. By doing this, COX2 is prevented from producing any more prostaglandins. Hence, pain is reduced. Although they bring relief to pain, are painkillers really safe to use?

It is reported that painkillers have a range of side effects, such as constipation, nausea, drowsiness, and more. These side effects are temporary and may go away when stopped. However, the same cannot be said about the long-term effects of painkillers.

When ingested, painkillers drop to the stomach, and after some time, the pain in the shoulder disappears. This leads us to the question: How do painkillers know where the pain is located? The simple answer is that they don't.

Irrespective of the route, painkillers get into the bloodstream. They are then transported across the system, relieving pain in any area. This poses a potential threat in the future, as the accumulation of painkillers can lower your pain threshold.

Long-term use of painkillers may include gastrointestinal issues, cardiovascular risks, kidney and liver problems, allergic reactions, addiction, and liver damage, amongst others. Healthcare providers have warned against the long-term use of painkillers.

To stay safe, always follow the doctor's recommendations when taking painkillers. Pain is a natural alert to damage occurring in our bodies. It is so distressing that painkillers are taken to subside it while the body tries to heal. Painkillers reduce pain by affecting our body's pain system. There are different types:

NSAIDs stop enzymes that cause pain.

Acetaminophen changes pain signals in the brain.

Opioids attach to receptors, so we feel less pain.

While helpful, painkillers may cause side effects. Follow your doctor's advice to stay safe.