How Do Painkillers Know Where The Pain Is?
By Janey1966
@Janey1966 (24170)
Carlisle, England
July 22, 2010 11:25am CST
Only a Chemist or a Doctor will be able to answer that question in a medical kinda way but it's always fascinated me because - quite frankly, I am a sad individual with nothing else better to think about!
Well, earlier today my cut finger was annoying me. I have a plaster (Band Aid) on it but I was in pain..and had tasks to perform. It was also hurting when I was typing...not good! So, I gave in and took two ibubrofen tablets. Now, I'm lucky in that I don't have to take tablets to get through my day (only the iron) so ibubrofen works very quickly for the simple reason that I don't take them very often. Does that make sense?
Anyway, after about an hour or so the pain has gone and I can type like a good 'un lol.
But, I say again, how does the painkiller know where the pain is and the tablets you take, do they work?
I do hope so.
Well, earlier today my cut finger was annoying me. I have a plaster (Band Aid) on it but I was in pain..and had tasks to perform. It was also hurting when I was typing...not good! So, I gave in and took two ibubrofen tablets. Now, I'm lucky in that I don't have to take tablets to get through my day (only the iron) so ibubrofen works very quickly for the simple reason that I don't take them very often. Does that make sense?
Anyway, after about an hour or so the pain has gone and I can type like a good 'un lol.
But, I say again, how does the painkiller know where the pain is and the tablets you take, do they work?
I do hope so.1 person likes this
10 responses
@Theresaaiza (10487)
• Australia
23 Jul 10
I am not so sure about my answers but I'll give it a shot!
Painkillers have different mechanism of action.
Some depresses the pain center in the brain. Can't remember where that is but it's that portion in your brain that senses the pain, so to speak and tells that certain organ, "you're in pain!"
Some are anti-prostaglandin. It's a neurotransmitter that creates the painful sensation. Like when you get injured, this substance migrates to the site along with other chemicals that causes inflammatory process. Some pain meds inhibit either production of prostaglandin or the receptors.
Pain killers are basically grouped as:
Opioid - meaning derived from the opium
and
NSAIDs and that includes your ibuprofen.
I MAY BE WRONG, okay?
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
23 Jul 10
Whether you are right or wrong doesn't really matter, that was mightily impressive. Thanks very much.
@dawnald (85139)
• Shingle Springs, California
23 Jul 10
They work on your whole body, not just the area where the pain is.
@dawnald (85139)
• Shingle Springs, California
23 Jul 10
Prolly not...
I think I will push to tell the kids this weekend. Harder for him to act like nothings wrong, plus they really need to know.
I'm OK...
batteries? You really know how to live! 
You have a good one too!
You have a good one too! @Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
23 Jul 10
I wonder if they work on broken hearts? Perhaps not.
How are you today? The weekend is nearly upon us. The excitement mounts..we're off to Argos tomorrow which is a store selling allsorts really, mainly branded electrical items and other stuff for the home. Only going for rechargeable batteries for my internet phone though. Like I say, exciting isn't the word!!
You have a good one, Ok?
How are you today? The weekend is nearly upon us. The excitement mounts..we're off to Argos tomorrow which is a store selling allsorts really, mainly branded electrical items and other stuff for the home. Only going for rechargeable batteries for my internet phone though. Like I say, exciting isn't the word!!
You have a good one, Ok?1 person likes this
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
24 Jul 10
Good luck with telling the kids...you're right, they do need to know. Sure you will be strong..for them.
LOL.Not been for the batteries yet, but we shall. Probably pick up some beans and spuds on the way back...but at least I'll be out of the house.
LOL.Not been for the batteries yet, but we shall. Probably pick up some beans and spuds on the way back...but at least I'll be out of the house.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
24 Jul 10
Thanks for that! Cats are a great tension reliever I find. If I'm stressed I just hug the moggy!
1 person likes this
@Bogdan22 (400)
• Romania
23 Jul 10
The answer is they don't know where the pain is.
They just go straight to the main power center, which is the brain and shut off some pain receptors.
That's all!
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
23 Jul 10
It's still very clever though, whichever way you look at it. Thanks for your response.
@wazaaa (185)
• Bulgaria
23 Jul 10
Hey there experts :) I really don't know how the pain killers works their path through your body, but I know for sure that the most pain killers don't have effect on my pain which is made by my kidney stones. So if you can recommend me some strong and legal :P painkiller I will be grateful.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
23 Jul 10
Sorry to hear that you have kidney stones. Have you tried googling the subject, see what comes up in the painkiller department?
@sandyme (200)
• India
22 Jul 10
hahaha i appreciate your question nice thinking .
Well an medicine doesnt know for what purpose he is in humans body the main thing how they get to know is by our brain when any medicine tablets enter our body it breaks down under some reaction in liver then after that liver decide partially and the main work is of brain he is the only master piece who decides in some of the nanoseconds where the pain is and where should those salts extracted from the medicine goes .
So its simple well i am not an docter . I am a student .
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
22 Jul 10
So, what you're saying is..the liver reacts then the brain decides where the painkiller is to go?
How clever!
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
24 Jul 10
i think it only works because it's distributed via the blood once it breaks down.
it just goes everywhere,so it finds the area by default.
@chiumee (850)
• Philippines
22 Jul 10
interesting. yup this was my question before. till now, i don't have the exact answer how. what i understand is that when the chemical content of the medicine reaches our circulatory system, the circulatory system then is the next medium that will deliver the medicine all over the body. so it generalizes the effect all over the body. i thought that way because it also puzzles me why i have trouble in one part of my body and i take a medicine, then i get a side effect in another part. you think so?
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
22 Jul 10
Mmmm, side effects..I'd not thought about that! How some medicines suit some people and not others..such as being allergic to penicillin, as an example. I'm not allergic to it but some people are.
@thedailyclick (3017)
•
22 Jul 10
As someone who unfortunately lives on pain killers I have asked this question and to put it simply they block the pain receptors in the brain and the chemicals which the brain produces when it realises something is wrong. Of course the way they work is different depending on what sort of pain killer you take and one sort stop the chemicals created by the brain the others stop the brain receptors knowing that you are in pain, if that sort of makes sense.
So basically the painkiller doesn't know where the pain is rather than it stops the pain part of the brain working.
As for my painkillers well they only ever dull my pain (back problems) but a dull pain is better than full on pain, lol.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
22 Jul 10
I know what you mean, my Dad has had back problems for as long as I can remember. He now has more pain in his legs than anywhere else..gets fobbed off by doctors on a regular basis. So, from his point of view his pain management isn't working because he's not getting the proper treatment. He won't walk into A&E either because he's frightened of being admitted into hospital and never coming out (he's 73 now) as that's happened to many, many people he has known over the years. I was only in hospital for one night and it terrified me..couldn't wait to get out to be honest!
As for you..well, at least you are philosophical about your pain. May I ask how your bad back came about?
@fishdreamer17 (31)
• Philippines
23 Jul 10
pain killers kill the substance secreted by your body to produce a painful feeling :) they don't really know where the pain is but the medication is circulated in your blood stream and thereby over your entire body acting on these substances that produce the painful feeling. :) I hope your finger will heal soon. :)
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
23 Jul 10
Thanks for that.My finger is getting better all the time, I'm pleased to say.
My finger is getting better all the time, I'm pleased to say.