We need to take pain relief medicine for many reasons, sometimes it's for chronic pain, but most times it's for a headache or minor muscle pain. Whatever medication you choose to take, you must understand the side effects of each. 

Here is a breakdown of 2 widespread, and 1 relatively new form of pain relief medicines.

Non-Opioids

These are your standard, over the counter medicines that are widely used for mild pain relief.  They are broken into two categories: non-acid - paracetamol and metamizole; and acid - ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac. The people at Aetna believe that non-opioids should be the first choice in pain relief.

Benefits

The main benefit is that you don't need a prescription, they are readily available at any pharmacy and often some convenience stores. They are mostly fast-acting and can temporarily relieve minor pain for up to 6 hours. These pills can also be taken in conjunction with Opioids as they don't interact with each other.

Side Effects

Non-opioids are popular with doctors as post-surgery medications as they are non-addictive and have minimal effects. Mild nausea, dizziness, diarrhea, and vomiting have been reported in a small number of cases.

Opioids

Opioids are a more potent form of pain relief and are most often prescribed when the patients' pain is quite severe. Opioids are commonly referred to as morphine, oxycodone, and methadone, and must be prescribed by a medical professional. These are not available over the counter.

Benefits

For extreme pain, opioids are very effective as they work fast, and the relief is felt almost immediately. They are carefully dosed to ensure very little risk to the patient.

Side Effects

Opioids have similar effects to non-opioids in the form of nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. However, they have more extreme ones too. This medication can cause slowed breathing, which must be monitored by a professional during the first few days of taking this drug.

Mayo Clinic suggests that the most concerning side effect of this type of medication is an addiction. Opioids provide a euphoric like feeling for the patient, and some people want to take more than is prescribed in an attempt to keep this high going. Even though a doctor must prescribe opioids, desperate people find alternative ways to source them.

Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA)

Palmitoylethanolamide is being recognized as a new wonder-drug for pain relief. It works with the body's immune system to target problem areas suffering from discomfort. 

Benefits

The experts at peaCURE claim that you can take this medication for long periods as it's non-addictive. Taken as a nutritional supplement, it doesn't require a prescription and is free of soy, gelatin, sucrose, artificial fillers, gluten, and other additives.

Side Effects

Currently, no adverse side effects have been reported from human clinical trials, except for a mild heaviness in the stomach for the first few days of treatment. The medication is non-toxic and appears to have no interactions with other drugs.

Make the Right Choice

During moments of pain, it's not always easy to make the right choice. Being armed with the facts beforehand can assist you.

If the pain isn't too severe, consider a non-opioid, as you can pick them up over the counter and take them immediately.

For severe pain, most likely you will seek the opinion of a medical specialist, who may prescribe an opioid due to its fast working nature. Discuss the side effects with them before taking it, of course. If administered correctly, you won't need to be concerned about addiction problems.

Why not speak to your doctor about the benefits of PEA to determine if this might be the right course of action for your pain treatment.