Owing to the dearth of proper knowledge about the usage of right drugs during pregnancy, patients suffering from pain often refrain from taking medications. Whether you call it a drawback of efficient treatment, or a generalized fear of exploring something unknown, pregnant women choose to suffer than treat their pain. However, the most common pain medications that are prescribed are often safe to use during pregnancy, than in late pregnancy- a fact few expecting mothers know.
What is an analgesic?
Analgesics are popularly known as painkillers and are taken to attain analgesia or a relief from pain sensation. Analgesic drugs function in various ways, acting indifferently on the central and the peripheral nervous systems, to curb the pain as soon as possible. There are various kinds of analgesics which are typically classified on the basis of the mode of action. Pain medication while pregnant has no distinct difference as such from the common analgesics usually prescribed. The World Health Organisation prescribes analgesics in their milder forms in their first administration.
- Paracetamol kind of analgesic which are also known as acetaminophen (APAP)
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can also relieve pain.
- While prescribing analgesics the severity, reaction and response to other forms of prevailing medications confirms the choice of kinds of agents.
- The kind and intensity of pain, serves as a factor to determine the choice of the analgesic. For example in case of neuropathic pain, drugs like anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants are more useful than traditional analgesics.
Alcohol as a Pain Reliever
Consumption of excessive alcohol can numb your senses so that you do not feel the pain consciously. However, it is quite difficult to describe the actual effects of alcohol consumption in the treatment of pain. But in most cases consumption of alcohol can have adverse effects. Alcohol consumption has mental, biological and social effects which blur it’s good effects even in case of restricted consumption. Hence, the attempts of using alcohol for the treatment of pain are found to have borne negative outcomes. Often the people on a treatment with alcohol, forget the limitation and consume excessively. Repeated excessive consumption can also lead to addiction, and even alcohol use disorder, which can adversely fetch more problems. Also, treatment with alcohol is restricted to pregnant mothers, thinking about the effects it will have on the unborn child.
Many changes can occur in your skin during pregnancy. But proper pregnancy skin disorder medications can effectively mend them all.
Common Foetal Risk and Mother Risk Due to Analgesics
It is okay to take medications prescribed in optimum and therapeutic doses for most chronic and acute pain. But it should be kept in mind that different analgesics have their own contraindications. In pregnancy any kind of analgesic drugs are intervened in the lowest possible dosages, to minimise any possible foetal risk. However, there are greater chances of risk in the late pregnancy and hence then drugs should be carefully reviewed based on the mother’s medical and medication history, before prescribing.