ANALGESICS GROWTH CONTINUES
Despite NICE’s recent guideline advocating innovative approaches to chronic pain management, the demand for OTC analgesics continues to grow...
pain in April of this year, it certainly made for interesting reading.
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In the guideline, NICE advocated radical new strategies for pain management such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for people aged 16 years and over with chronic primary pain and complementary therapies, such as a single course of acupuncture or dry needling.
In terms of pharmacological management of chronic primary pain, NICE recommended antidepressants such as amitriptyline or sertraline for people aged 18 years or over, but only after a full discussion of the benefits and harms.
Despite NICE’s guideline, however, the UK analgesics market is currently valued at around £505 million and accounts for 23 per cent of OTC sales.
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scottishpharmacist.com
hen the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) released its new guideline regarding chronic
But what exactly are analgesics most commonly required for?
Headaches/migraine Migraine affects around fifteen per cent of the adult population of the UK, with 80 per cent of those affected having a family history of the problem. Migraines are usually felt as a severe, throbbing pain at the front or side of the head, but may also be accompanied by nausea, vomiting and increased sensitivity to light or sound.
Tension headaches Tension headaches are the most common form of headaches and affect more than 20 per cent of the population. They feel like a constant ache that affects both sides of the head, almost as if a tight band is stretched around it. Tension headaches can usually be treated with ordinary painkillers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen, although lifestyle changes may also help.
Cluster headaches Cluster headaches are a rare type of headache that occur in clusters for a month or two at a time
around the same time of year. Excruciatingly painful, cluster headaches cause intense pain around one eye, and often occur with other symptoms, such as a watering or red eye and a blocked or runny nose. OTC medications won't generally ease the symptoms of a cluster headache, so referral to a GP is usually advisable.
Toothache/dental pain Toothache occurs when the dental pulp, comprised of nerves and blood vessels, becomes inflamed. Most treatments to relieve the pain are available on an OTC basis, with ibuprofen and paracetamol the mainstay of treatment. Some patients do, however, prefer topical anaesthetics as they act locally and quickly.
Back pain Every year, more than a third of men and women will visit their GP with back pain. Patients with back pain should be advised to use paracetamol and ibuprofen to alleviate the pain, and to use hot or cold compresses to aid in alleviating the pain.
CLUSTER HEADACHES CAUSE INTENSE PAIN AROUND ONE EYE, AND OFTEN OCCUR WITH OTHER SYMPTOMS
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