Painkillers should really be called painblockers

Painkillers don't kill pain, they block specific chemicals in order to make you feel as if the pain isn't there. There are two classes of painkillers, aspirin drugs and narcotic drugs and they each deal with pain differently.

Aspirin drugs (over the counter), like paracetamol and ibuprofen treat pain by blocking the production of prostaglandins, which are the chemicals that give the feeling of pain and swelling. As the level of prostaglandins in an injured area (say, an ankle) is reduced, the pain goes away.

Narcotic drugs (Rx drugs), like morphine and codeine block the chemical messages being sent from your brain to the area in pain and then alter the sensation of pain (These drugs should only be used if prescribed by a doctor as they can be very addictive).

For more information on pain management, visit WebMD.

This post is dedicated to John's ankle.