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How Painkillers Work: How Medicine Finds the Pain

How painkillers work explains why medication does not find the pain: a pill is swallowed, taken into the blood and carried around the whole body, and it changes how pain signals are made or felt wherever it goes.

That is why a painkiller can ease pain but does not fix a stiff joint, a weak muscle or a pinched nerve. It can still be useful, especially to help a person keep moving while the cause is being looked after.

For more information about how painkillers work, contact the Bukit Damansara (KL) main center: WhatsApp+60 17 269 1873 Call+603 2093 1000

How Painkillers Work: Key Points to Know

  1. Paracetamol works mainly in the brain and spinal cord, and too much of it can badly harm the liver.
  2. Non-drug care, such as spinal manipulation, is a reasonable first step for new back pain.
  3. Every painkiller has side effects, so the label and the pharmacist’s advice matter.

How Common Painkillers Work

  • Paracetamol (also called acetaminophen, sold as Panadol and other brands) works mainly in the brain and spinal cord. Scientists still do not fully understand how. It is gentle on the stomach, but too much of it can badly harm the liver.
  • Anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, naproxen and diclofenac block enzymes that make prostaglandins. These are chemicals that cause swelling and pain. Taken for a long time, NSAIDs can upset the stomach and harm the kidneys and heart.
  • Opioids such as tramadol attach to pain receptors in the brain and spinal cord. They can cause sleepiness and constipation, and longer use carries a risk of dependence.
  • Gels and creams act closer to where they are rubbed on, so less of the drug reaches the rest of the body.

Why Painkillers Do Not Fix Back Pain

In a large trial of 1,652 people with new low back pain, those who took paracetamol did not recover any faster than those who took a dummy pill.

In a review of 26 trials of new low back pain, spinal manipulation was linked to modest improvements in pain and function for up to six weeks. When medicine is needed, which drug to take and for how long are questions for the doctor or pharmacist.

Asking CSC About Pain That Keeps Coming Back

To ask what may be causing back, neck or joint pain that keeps needing painkillers, contact either Kuala Lumpur center:

For travel, parking and opening hours, see Bukit Damansara address, hours and phone or Bandar Sri Damansara address, hours and phone. The chiropractic price in Kuala Lumpur and physiotherapy fees in Kuala Lumpur pages list current fees.

Using Painkillers Safely

  • Follow the label, and never take more than it says.
  • Many cold and flu products also contain paracetamol, so check labels to avoid taking a double dose by mistake.
  • Tell the doctor or pharmacist about any stomach, kidney, liver or heart problems, and about other medicines being taken.
  • Do not stop a medicine a doctor has prescribed without talking to that doctor first.
  • Keep medicines away from children, and teach teens that “over the counter” does not mean harmless.

Where Conservative Care Fits

At CSC, care starts with an assessment of what may be causing the pain. The plan can include non-rotatory chiropractic care, focused physiotherapy, rehab exercise and, for disc problems, spinal decompression. This care does not replace medicine a doctor has prescribed. Many people use both for a while, and any change to prescribed medicine is made with the doctor who prescribed it.

Peer-Reviewed References

  1. Graham GG, Davies MJ, Day RO, et al. The modern pharmacology of paracetamol: therapeutic actions, mechanism of action, metabolism, toxicity and recent pharmacological findings. Inflammopharmacology. 2013;21(3):201-232.
  2. Bindu S, Mazumder S, Bandyopadhyay U. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and organ damage: a current perspective. Biochem Pharmacol. 2020;180:114147.
  3. Williams CM, Maher CG, Latimer J, et al. Efficacy of paracetamol for acute low-back pain: a double-blind, randomised controlled trial. Lancet. 2014;384(9954):1586-1596.
  4. Paige NM, Miake-Lye IM, Booth MS, et al. Association of spinal manipulative therapy with clinical benefit and harm for acute low back pain: systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA. 2017;317(14):1451-1460.

These sources describe how pain medicines work and how back pain is managed in general. None of them tests a program at Chiropractic Specialty Center.

The Author of How Painkillers Work in the Body: A Simple Guide

How Painkillers Work in the Body: A Simple Guide was written by Yama Zafer, D.C., who has 30+ years in chiropractic and physiotherapy and founded Chiropractic Specialty Center in Kuala Lumpur in 2006.

Last Updated: How Painkillers Work: How Medicine Finds the Pain

How Painkillers Work: How Medicine Finds the Pain was last reviewed and updated on October 3, 2026.

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