How do painkillers know where to target the pain?
In: Biology
None of these answers are correct. Painkillers do not directly block pain receptors.
First things first. There are many kinds of pain (nociceptive, inflammatory, neuropathy, acute pain, chronic pain, etc.) and there are different ways to treat each one.
When you ask about painkillers, I assume you’re talking about ibuprofen/NSAIDs or acetaminophen/paracetamol. We’ll start with ibuprofen and other NSAIDs.
NSAID stands for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. As the name suggests, NSAIDs treat inflammatory pain. There is an enzyme in your body called cyclooxygenase (COX). Think of an enzyme like a machine that converts one molecule into another. COX is involved in the conversion of arachidonic acid to prostaglandins. These prostaglandins cause inflammation, which in turn, causes pain. The drug goes all around your body, but if prostaglandins aren’t being produced in a certain area, the drug doesn’t work there. That is also why you can still feel other kinds of pain. Like if you pinch yourself, that pain isn’t caused by inflammation, so it still hurts.
Latest Answers