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A Guide to Managing Pain

Managing your pain for a full and healthy life

No matter how mild, experiencing any type of pain is never pleasant. Thankfully, Panadol is here to help.

Discover things to know about managing pain, from the different types of pain to different pain management strategies you can try to help get some relief, with this guide to pain from Panadol.

While the experience of pain can vary from person to person, unfortunately, pain itself is a pretty universal phenomenon. In fact, about 85% of people globally say they’ve experienced both head and body pain.

Any type of pain, no matter how mild, is nothing to shrug at. Research has found that pain can negatively affect many different aspects of our lives, including our career, social life, and even our ability to look after our family.

When it comes to managing pain, one of the best places to start is to determine what type of pain you’re experiencing, so you can get the relief you need as quickly as possible.

Keep reading for helpful advice on managing pain from Panadol – including an overview of the different types of pain and pain relieving medicines, plus alternative remedies to help you manage your pain – so you can get relief from pain and get back to the life you love as quickly as possible.

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What are the different types of pain?

Pain can be categorised in lots of different ways, such as:

  • where you feel the pain,
  • how the pain feels (e.g. stabbing, burning, throbbing),
  • the cause of the pain,
  • the part of the body affected by the pain, and
  • how long the pain lasts.

Pain categorised by location

When we talk about head pain (which includes migraine and other headache types), body pain (e.g. back and neck pain) and toothache, we’re categorising pain by location.

To be more specific, we’re categorising pain by perceived location. This is an important distinction to make because there is such a thing as ‘referred pain’, which is when we feel pain in a different part of the body than where it actually starts.

Pain categorised by cause

In some instances, we talk about pain in relation to the condition that is causing it. For example, arthritis is both a type of pain as well as a disease that causes pain.

Pain categorised by the affected body system

Pain can also be defined by the system in the body that it affects. When we talk about pain in this way, we might talk about tissue pain, which can be caused by an injury such as a sprained ankle or a burn, or nerve pain, which can be caused by conditions such as shingles or sciatica.

Acute and chronic pain

Finally, we can also classify pain by how long it lasts.

 

What’s the best approach to managing pain?

Over the Counter medicines, when used within recommended doses, can play an important role in managing pain. Be sure to follow usage directions and consult with your healthcare provider to craft a pain management plan that’s best for you. Not all pain can or should be treated equally, so it’s important to work with your doctor or pharmacist to come up with the most appropriate pain management strategy for you. In the case of mild to moderate pain, relief can be found in over the counter medicines and products.

Treatment options for pain typically fall into one of these categories: pain relief medicines or alternative remedies.

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Pain relief medicines

Pain medicines come in many different forms, including topical and oral.

Topical pain medicines include gels or creams that are designed to be applied directly onto the body, wherever you feel the pain. Oral medicines include tablets, caplets or drinkable liquids. They may be available over the counter (e.g. ibuprofen, paracetamol) or by prescription from your doctor.

Alternative pain remedies

Alternative remedies include hot and/or cold therapy (e.g. using a heat pack on a painful part of the body).

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Panadol: an effective pain relief medicine

Panadol is an over-the-counter pain relief medication that provides fast and effective temporary relief from pain and discomfort associated with many different common conditions – including headache, migraine headache, mild osteoarthritis, cold and flu symptoms, toothache, muscular aches, sore throat pain and period pain. Panadol can also help to reduce fever when you’re experiencing from a temperature.

Discover the full range of Panadol pain relief medicines today

Explore the full range of Panadol products and get effective temporary relief from your pain. Always read and follow all instructions on the product label when using any medication.

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