Pain Relievers

Medical Summaries

What are the best pain pills? What are the dosages?
Which pain killers have the worst side-effects?
This chart lists the pain relief ability of the
most common pain medication, both
prescription and non-prescription.



Here is a comparison table summary of popular pain medication. The pain relievers below were ranked by effectiveness for chronic back pain, by a Harvard Study. Each pain medication was rated for effectiveness on a scale of from 1 (aspirin) to 10 (morphine).

Brand Name

Over-the-counter (OTC) Pain Medicine (NSAID= Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflamatory Drug)

Anacin
Bayer
Bufferin
Ecotrin

Minor aches, pains
cold, headache,
muscular ache

minor aches and pains

aspirin allergy,
asthma,
stomach bleeding,
Reye's Syndrome

Anacin non
Excedrin
Tylenol

Headache

fever,
if allergic to aspirin,
arthritis,
rheumatism,
musculo-skeletal

June 2009, again
7-04-06- Tylenol Liver Damage
"Tylenol is the No. 1 cause of acute liver failure in the U.S."
"[Acetaminophen] is a leading cause of death from pharmaceuticals,"

Vanquish

Headache
Muscle ache

headache

same as above
not for children and teens

Advil
Motrin
Nuprin

Aches, pains,
colds, toothache,
muscle aches,
backache,
menstrual, fever

fever,
muscle ache

aspirin allergy,
asthma,
upset stomach,
not for last trimester

Aleve
Naproxen

Joint and muscle pain

arthritis,
rheumatism,
musculo-skeletal

Naproxen heart risk
upset stomach,
not for nursing mothers

Motrin 800

(listed above)

(as above)

(as above)

Actron
Orudis

Anti-inflammatory,
analgesic

arthritis

Ketoprofen side effects

More Warnings on OTC Drugs:
NSAIDS Increase Blood Pressure
Aspirin and NSAIDS Cause Stomach Bleeding Resulting In Death

Prescription Pain Medicine

Brand Name

na

Problems
Caused

Celebrex

Osteoarthritis,
rheumatoid arthritis,
short term pain,
painful menstruation

na

Celebrex heart risk
stomach bleeding,
heart attack,
stroke

Ultram

Moderate pain

na

nausea, constipation, dizziness, headache, drowsiness, vomiting

* Note: The scores for Celebrex and Ultram are estimates (3.7* and 3.8*). These two drugs did not exist at the time of the study.

Demerol

50mg
100mg

The opiates and synthetic opiates (from 4 down to 10) are the most effective pain killers, but they are subject to the most abuse, and prescription pain killer addiction. All the opiates and derivatives are habit-forming.

The inclusion of high amounts of acetaminophen with all these medications is a rather CRUEL attempt by the pharmaceutical companies to prevent abuse, since overdosing will result in the destruction of the liver. I would describe this, at best, as "not very nice". The Christian puritanical ethic at work, destroying livers, and lives. "Let's kill off all the druggies." This is way beyond cynical.

Knowing that these drugs are abused, and then filling them up with the poisonous acetaminophen, is criminal malfeasance by the drug companies. One more reason to prosecute them.

** The score for Norco is an estimate. It did not exist at the time of the study.

Lorcet

5-500mg

Vicodin

5-500mg

Lorcet Plus

7.5-650mg

Vicodin ES

7.5-750mg

Norco

5-325mg
7.5-325mg
10-325mg

Lortab

10-500mg

Vicodin HP

10-660mg

Percocet

2.5-325mg
5- 325mg
7.5-325mg
7.5-500mg
10-325mg
10-650mg

Oxycodone is very effective.

** The score for oxycodone is an estimate. It did not exist at the time of the study.

Percodan

oxycodone HCl,
oxycodone terephthalate,
and aspirin

4.50mg
0.38mg
325mg

Oxycontin 40

Duragesic
Fentora
Actiq

** The score for fentanyl is an estimate. It did not exist at the time of the study. Fentanyl is very effective for gunshot wounds, and fragmentation wounds. However, there have been serious problems with fentanyl dosing (over-dosing). Death has resulted from simply handling the medication with the fingers. One must use great care when handling fentanyl.

RMS
MS Contin

Morphine is the SECOND strongest pain relief medicine available.

Dilaudid (tabs)
Palladone (caps)

I recently received a very thoughtful email from a Special Operations medic. He stated that he has extensively administered all of these top medications. He concludes that Dilaudid is several times more effective than morphine, and that it has fewer side effects, although just as serious. I have therefore moved Dilaudid to the "most-effective drug" position on the list.

DISCLAIMER
The author has no medical training. No advice is intended.
Although the author has tried to be as accurate as possible, errors and mis-statements are possible. Some pain medicine was not available at the time of the study, such as tramadol (Ultram), celebrex, etc. Consult your doctor for personal pain reliever advice.
This data was summarized and ordered by me into this Pain Killer Chart, primarily from
http://neuro-www.mgh.harvard.edu/forum_2/ChronicPainF/3.19.991.15AM PAINKILLERS SU.html and from other Pain Medication websites. The Harvard study was based upon the best painkiller for chronic back pain relief. This is a Pain Meds Comparison Chart. It compares each perscription pain drug, and each OTC pain drug.
I made this Painkiller Summary/ Pain Medication Table to identify the best pain relief alternatives, and to point out the side effects of each one.
IRONY - Acetaminophen seems to be the "baddest boy" on the block. Not only is it marginally effective. it doesn't take much to destroy your liver. Least effective, most dangerous. Great.

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