How quickly do painkillers work? Facts and myths

Facts about the speed of painkillers

Painkillers include:

Each group has a different mechanism of action, and therefore its pace will also differ. For example, paracetamol inhibits the synthesis of prostaglandin (particles responsible for the development of inflammation, pain and fever) only in the brain and spinal cord. It has an analgesic and antipyretic effect, but it does not show an anti -inflammatory effect. The first effects may appear 30-60 minutes after serving.

On the other hand painkillers From the NLPZ group, they inhibit the synthesis of prostaglandin, both central and peripheral, at the place of inflammation – hence their anti -inflammatory effect. Each representative of this group has a slightly different speed⁽¹⁾.

The speed of the drug depends on his form. The preparations served in the form of injection are the fastest because they go directly to the blood. Among oral drugs, liquid forms, e.g. sachets to dissolve in water. Their beginning of action is faster, because the form of administration requires shorter digestion.

If you want to speed up the painkiller, take it on an empty stomach. The problem is that most NLPZ has an irritating effect on its mucosa. In people prone to erosion, administering these drugs on an empty stomach may cause unpleasant ailments, including Pain and abdominal discomfort. The exception is a dekketoprofen, which even on an empty stomach has a much lower risk of stomach mucosal irritation⁽²⁾.

Do you take a tablet and count on the fact that it will work like a snap? It would be great, but unfortunately you have to wait for the effect. The drug must reach the intestines, absorb, get into the liver, and from there to the blood. Therefore, you usually have to wait about 30 minutes for analgesic effect.

Regardless of the dose adopted, the drug overcomes the same path in the body, and this takes time. Similarly, if you take several different preparations – they all have to be digested first. In addition, painkillers always achieve a certain ceiling. If you take the maximum dose, subsequent tablets will not strengthen the effect, but will increase the risk of side effects.

Every medicine, even morphine or other drugs, need some time before they get into the blood. The strength of the drug does not affect its speed. Pain treatment is recommended to start with weaker low doses and raise them if necessary.

The operation of painkillers is a complex issue. It depends on many factors, of which we only influence some of which. If you care about a faster effect, choose a liquid preparation and take it before meals. However, even then you have to wait a bit.

⁽¹⁾ Woroń, J. (2020). Why should the use of dexicetoprofen be considered in acute pain? Family Medicine Forum, 14 (2): 51-56.

⁽²⁾ Woroń, J., Wordliczek, J. (2017). The combination of tramadol with dekketoprofen in clinical practice: progress in the treatment of pain. Doctor, 3 (1): 61-67.