Analgesics are a class of medications used to block pain. They either stop pain signals from going to the brain or alter the brain’s interpretation of those signals. In both cases, analgesics prevent the brain from processing pain signals, yet do not rely on anesthesia or loss of consciousness to achieve their pain-killing effect.

Analgesics are frequently used to control pain in cancer patients, particularly those with advanced forms of the disease. There are two primary types of analgesics:

• Non-narcotic analgesics. Also known as non-opioids, these drugs are milder forms of painkillers that include acetaminophen, the most commonly used over-the-counter non-narcotic analgesic.  There are other drugs that are not technically part of the analgesic family, but are nonetheless considered analgesics in practice. These include aspirin and ibuprofen.
  
  
• Narcotic analgesics. Also known as opioids, these drugs are stronger analgesics that are used when pain signals are too severe to be controlled by non-narcotic analgesics. Examples include morphine and codeine and these analgesics are available only by prescription.
  

In most cases, patients who experience pain can have their discomfort relieved by an analgesic or a combination of analgesics. Patients may need to try different combinations before discovering a therapy that works well for them.