Pain

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Order Pain Relief Tablets Online

At Simple Online Pharmacy, we offer a range of treatments for pain relief. This includes over the counter medication such as paracetamol, ibuprofen, and aspirin. Topical products are also available such as Voltarol gel, ibuprofen gel, and Flexiseq Gel

Our doctors can also prescribe the anti-inflammatory painkiller Naproxen. This is known as a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It is used to relieve pain in many conditions such as osteoarthritis, gout, lower back pain, and general strains and sprains.

To request Naproxen from Simple Online Pharmacy, you must already be prescribed this medicine on repeat by your GP. As part of your order, we ask that you complete an online medical assessment. This helps our doctors to make sure it is safe and suitable for you to take.


For further information and support, see the NHS page on getting help for your pain or the page on Naproxen.

Pain

Pain treatment options

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Overview

What is Pain?

The pain sensation is triggered by signals travelling through our nervous system, often as a response to injury or illness. The sensation can cause distress and discomfort and can have a negative effect on our lives.  

Pain can be located in a specific area or it can be felt all over. It can be described in a number of ways such as feeling sharp, dull, throbbing, aching, and pulsating. It can range in severity and it can be different for different people.

Short term, or acute pain, is often telling us something is wrong. Injuries like a sprained wrist can cause acute pain but can be treated with painkillers. Once the injury or illness has healed, the pain will usually improve. 

Chronic pain

Long term, or chronic pain, may have a less obvious cause or serve little purpose. In chronic pain, the brain’s interpretation of signals can become confused and result in pain sensations, sometimes for no obvious reason.

Long term pain can have an effect on our daily lives, our ability to work, our sleep, and our relationships. Although there are a number of medicines that can help, it is a complicated problem influenced by psychological and social factors. People with chronic pain should speak to their GP for advice. There are a number of great resources for people with chronic pain, such as the Scottish Managing Chronic Pain Patient Booklet and charities like Pain Concern and Pain Association Scotland.

Common types of pain

Lower back pain

This is a common complaint and up to 60% of adults can expect to experience it at some point in their life. It can have specific causes like sciatica and ankylosing spondylitis, or the cause might be unknown. 

In many cases, staying active and trying not to rest too much can improve it. Bed rest can often worsen the problem. Back stretches can also help.

Taking anti-inflammatory tablets like ibuprofen or aspirin can be helpful, and paracetamol can improve the pain too. Your doctor can prescribe strong painkillers like Naproxen or diclofenac which can help. Gels like Voltarol and Flexiseq can also be useful.

Dental pain

Tooth pain can have a number of causes, such as a dental abscess, a cracked tooth, and tooth decay. You should make an appointment with your dentist if you have a toothache. A number of things can help, like eating soft foods and rinsing your mouth with salt water.

Paracetamol and anti-inflammatory painkillers like ibuprofen can be helpful. Toothache gels can be very effective because they contain an anaesthetic and can be applied directly to the painful area. Orajel is a popular toothache gel.

You can help to prevent dental problems by having regular dental check-ups and brushing your teeth correctly twice a day. This helps to prevent problems like gum disease and abscesses.

Muscle sprains and strains

Muscle and ligament injuries are very common. They can also cause swelling, bruising, weakness, and cramping. If you have a sprain or strain, for the first few days you should rest and ice the area and keep the injured area as elevated as possible. Compression with a bandage can also help to support it.

Paracetamol can help and anti-inflammatory medicines like ibuprofen and Naproxen can be effective at reducing inflammation and swelling in sprains and strains. Gels like Voltarol and Flexiseq are also helpful with these injuries.

Content Reviewed: 11/02/21

Treatments

Non-drug treatments

Medicines are important for the treatment of pain but there are many things you can do to improve pain that doesn’t involve medication. For example, resting and icing sports injuries, avoiding hard foods with toothache, and keeping active with a bad back are all examples of non-drug tips. 

People who suffer from chronic pain can often benefit from psychological help like cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Research is beginning to show that pain can worsen with negative emotions and improving mental wellbeing can help to improve the severity. NHS Scotland has published a chronic pain self-help guide based on principles of CBT, that people may find helpful.

Paracetamol

Paracetamol is usually a safe and effective painkiller that can be bought over the counter. It can also be used to treat fevers. It is commonly found in cold and flu medicines in combination with other drugs. 

NSAIDs

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a group of medicines that can be used as effective painkillers. Aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, and diclofenac are all examples of NSAIDs. They aren’t suitable for everyone, for example, people with stomach ulcers and poor kidney function. They are non-addictive painkillers.

Opioids

Opioids are a group of drugs that can be used as painkillers. They are often prescribed after operations and for people with moderate to severe pain. Codeine and morphine are types of opioids.

Codeine for pain relief, in the UK, is available to buy over the counter after a discussion with a pharmacist. However, opioids have a high risk of addiction and should not be taken over a long time period. See our blog post on the dangers of over the counter codeine.

Other medicines

Many other useful medicines are available including anaesthetics, antidepressants, and certain anti-epileptic medicines. Some antidepressants and anti-epileptic drugs are used to treat neuropathic pain like peripheral neuropathy.

FAQ

What is the strongest painkiller?
Different painkillers may work well for one person but not another. Generally, paracetamol is the first painkiller people are advised to take. For more severe pain strong NSAIDs like Naproxen, or a weak opioid like codeine, may be prescribed. Generally, very strong painkillers like morphine and oxycodone are only prescribed by your doctor if your pain is very severe.

Is tramadol stronger than codeine?
Tramadol and codeine are very similar in terms of how strong they are. However, in the UK, tramadol is prescribed in higher strengths than codeine. It is also only available on prescription, so many people consider it to be stronger than codeine because codeine is available to buy from a pharmacy.

Which drugs are NSAIDs?
Ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac, and aspirin are all types of NSAIDs. They are often used for their anti-inflammatory effects.

Is paracetamol an NSAID?
No, paracetamol is not an NSAID. However, paracetamol can be an effective painkiller and is suitable for most people to take.

    Naproxen

    Medication Simple Online Pharmacy
    250mg x28 x 250mg Tablets £10.94
    250mg x56 x 250mg Tablets £19.98
    500mg x28 x 500mg Tablets £11.99
    500mg x56 x 500mg Tablets £23.98
    250mg x28 x 250mg GR Tablets £13.99
    250mg x56 x 250mg GR Tablets £19.50
    500mg x28 x 500mg GR Tablets £17.99
    500mg x56 x 500mg GR Tablets £25.99

    Vimovo

    Medication Simple Online Pharmacy
    500mg/20mg x60 £23.99

    Pain Treatment Comparison