How is it that pain medications work?!

Different pain medications work in different ways!. The two you were asking about work by binding to opioid receptors in your spinal cord and brain (namely your parietal lobe)!. Opioid receptors affect only pain, not sensations such as pressure, heat, or cold!. If you were to burn yourself right now it would hurt--bad--depending on how badly you burnt yourself, but long term, it wouldn't hurt as bad as it would hurt normally!. [The two medications you named are opioid, just FYI]!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

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yes, every sensation comes from different and specific nerves!. while the medication numbs the pain by preventing the pain stimulus from reaching your brain (you would be able to feel it otherwise), it does not affect other kinds of stimulus!. because we have receptors for pain, pressure,temperature,etc!.!.!.and they different pathways to the brain, that is why one pain medication affects only pain receptors, and not the othersWww@Answer-Health@Com

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medications like that limit the pain center of the brain's ability to function!. depending on how much med you're on, you might not feel the pain of burning your hand right now!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

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They block the pain receptors in your tissue from transmitting a pain signal to your brain!.
Here's a link that may interest you
http://health!.discovery!.com/beyond/!?play!.!.!.


I take several pain meds a day for a spine injuryWww@Answer-Health@Com

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Many change your perception of the pain!. It's still there, but it's different and tolerable!.
Burning your hand sends pain signals to your brain through your nerves!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

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