Types of Painkillers
Drug Class↕ | Examples↕ | Mechanism↕ | Best For↕ | Key Risk↕ | Known For↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NSAIDs (non-selective) | Ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac, aspirin | COX-1/COX-2 inhibition, reduces prostaglandins | Inflammatory pain, musculoskeletal, period pain | GI bleeding, kidney damage, cardiovascular | Most widely used OTC painkillers globally, don't mask fever as well as acetaminophen |
COX-2 Selective NSAIDs | Celecoxib (Celebrex), etoricoxib | Selective COX-2 inhibition | Arthritis pain in GI-sensitive patients | Cardiovascular (Vioxx withdrawn in 2004) | Developed to spare the stomach, Vioxx scandal is largest drug withdrawal in history |
Acetaminophen (Paracetamol) | Tylenol, Panadol | Central COX inhibition (partially understood) | Mild pain, fever, safe in pregnancy | Liver toxicity in overdose | World's most used drug, overdose is leading cause of acute liver failure in the West |
Weak Opioids | Codeine, tramadol, dihydrocodeine | Mu receptor agonist (weak) plus other effects | Moderate pain after OTC fails | Addiction, respiratory depression, serotonin syndrome (tramadol) | Codeine metabolism varies genetically, tramadol has bizarre pharmacology beyond opioids |
Strong Opioids | Morphine, oxycodone, hydromorphone, fentanyl | Mu opioid receptor agonist | Severe acute or cancer pain | Addiction, overdose, constipation, tolerance | Gold standard for severe pain, center of the opioid crisis, fentanyl 100x stronger than morphine |
Gabapentinoids | Gabapentin, pregabalin (Lyrica) | Alpha-2-delta calcium channel subunit binding | Neuropathic pain, fibromyalgia, postherpetic neuralgia | Sedation, dependence, dizziness | Originally antiepileptics, now massively prescribed off-label, emerging abuse concerns |
Tricyclic Antidepressants | Amitriptyline, nortriptyline | Serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibition | Chronic nerve pain, chronic headache | Cardiac toxicity in overdose, anticholinergic effects | Low doses used for pain (much less than depression doses), helps sleep |
SNRIs for pain | Duloxetine (Cymbalta), venlafaxine | Serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibition | Diabetic neuropathy, fibromyalgia, chronic back pain | Discontinuation syndrome, nausea, sexual side effects | Duloxetine is FDA approved for multiple chronic pain conditions |
Local Anesthetics | Lidocaine, bupivacaine, ropivacaine | Sodium channel blockade in nerve fibers | Procedural pain, nerve blocks, postoperative | Systemic toxicity (LAST), cardiac arrest | Basis of dental injections, epidurals, regional anesthesia |
Topical Capsaicin | Capsaicin cream, Qutenza patch | TRPV1 receptor desensitization | Localized neuropathic pain, arthritis | Burning sensation on application | Derived from chili peppers, depletes substance P in nerve endings |
Cannabinoids | Medical cannabis, nabiximols (Sativex) | CB1/CB2 receptor modulation | MS spasticity, cancer pain, neuropathic pain | Cognitive effects, legal issues, dependence | Increasingly accepted, strongest evidence in spasticity and chemo-induced nausea, not a magic bullet |
Ketamine (low-dose) | IV ketamine, intranasal | NMDA receptor antagonist | Refractory chronic pain, acute severe pain | Dissociation, bladder toxicity with chronic use | Originally an anesthetic, now used for depression and chronic pain in specialty clinics |
Corticosteroids | Prednisone, dexamethasone, triamcinolone | Anti-inflammatory via gene regulation | Inflammatory flares, joint injection | Long-term: diabetes, osteoporosis, immunosuppression | Not true analgesics but reduce pain via inflammation, cortisone shots for joints |
Muscle Relaxants | Cyclobenzaprine, baclofen, tizanidine | Central CNS depression or GABA-B agonism | Acute muscle spasm, spasticity | Sedation, dependence | Used for low back spasms, baclofen for MS, not as strong as advertised |
Triptans | Sumatriptan, rizatriptan | 5-HT1B/1D receptor agonism | Acute migraine attacks | Vasoconstriction, cardiac events in at-risk patients | Game-changer for migraine when introduced in 1990s, abort migraines rather than prevent them |
Free to explore · No signup needed
Frequently asked questions
How is the Types Of Painkillers list ranked?
The Types of Painkillers list is currently sorted by the source data's default ordering. Community voting is not enabled on this dataset.
How many entries are in this Types Of Painkillers dataset?
This dataset contains 15 entries, each with multiple sortable, filterable columns. The full table is visible on this page and can be downloaded as a CSV, JSON, or Excel file.
Can I download the Types Of Painkillers data?
Yes. The download buttons at the top of the page give you the full 15-row dataset as CSV, JSON, or Excel. Use of the data is permitted under a Creative Commons Attribution license — credit dtbse.com when you republish.
Related Datasets
More in Health & Wellness
Antibiotic Classes
Penicillins, cephalosporins, macrolides, fluoroquinolones - which antibiotic family for which bug?
Types of Headaches
Migraines with aura, tension headaches that grip your skull, cluster headaches nicknamed 'suicide headaches' — which headache type is the worst?
Common Skin Conditions
Eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, vitiligo, melasma - which skin condition is this?
Sleep Disorders Ranked
Insomnia steals your nights, sleep apnea steals your breath, narcolepsy steals your wakefulness — which sleep disorder is the most disruptive?
Types of Hearing Loss
Sensorineural, conductive, mixed, NIHL, presbycusis - which diagnosis is this?
Types of Sleep Aids
Melatonin, magnesium, ashwagandha, Ambien, CBT-I - which sleep aid actually works for insomnia?
Common Eye Conditions
Myopia, astigmatism, glaucoma, cataract, AMD - which vision villain is the one to fear?
Types of Anesthesia
General, regional, local or sedation - which approach to going under is the most fascinating feat of modern medicine?
Famous Rare Diseases
Progeria, fatal familial insomnia, FOP, Huntington's - which rare disease is the most feared?
Common Blood Tests
CBC, metabolic panel, lipid profile or A1c - which routine blood test reveals the most about your health?
Types of Diabetes
Type 1, Type 2, gestational, MODY or LADA - comparing the different forms of diabetes and their severity?
Ayurvedic Treatments
Panchakarma, abhyanga, shirodhara, nasya - which ancient Indian healing ritual actually works?