Pain relief & emergency medicines

Pain & emergency care: medicines & conditions

This area covers everyday and stronger pain relief, plus the emergency medicines and antidotes used when something goes seriously wrong — from reversing an overdose to treating a severe allergic reaction.

Education and reference only. This hub explains which medicines relate to the pain & emergency care and why — it deliberately contains no doses and is not a substitute for advice from your doctor or pharmacist. Always check the BNF and the product labelling for prescribing detail.

About the pain & emergency care

Pain relief ranges from simple analgesics to stronger opioids, each used at the lowest effective level because of side effects and, for opioids, the risk of dependence. Emergency medicines and antidotes — such as naloxone to reverse opioid overdose, adrenaline for anaphylaxis, and treatments for specific poisonings — are designed for urgent situations and can be life-saving. The themes that matter are using pain relief sensibly and reviewing it, recognising emergencies early, and knowing that emergency treatments are a bridge to — not a replacement for — urgent professional help.

What this covers

  • Everyday and stronger pain relief
  • Opioids and dependence risk
  • Emergency antidotes (e.g. naloxone)
  • Treatments used in urgent care

Medicine classes

Medicines for the pain & emergency care (6)

Each links to a full, dose-free guide — what it is, how it works, who can and cannot use it, side effects, interactions and FAQs.

Acetylcysteine Emergency & antidotes The hospital antidote that prevents liver damage after paracetamol overdose — most effective given early.… Adrenaline auto-injectors Emergency & antidotes The first and most important treatment for a severe allergic reaction — given without delay into the outer thi… Local anaesthetics Pain Numb a specific area for procedures and pain — safe within limits, with dose ceilings that matter.… Naloxone Emergency & antidotes Rapidly reverses opioid overdose — a safe, life-saving antidote increasingly carried in the community.… Opioid analgesics Pain Strong painkillers for acute, cancer and palliative pain — effective but with dependence and overdose risks.… Paracetamol Pain The everyday first-line painkiller and fever reducer — very safe at the right amount, dangerous in overdose.…

By active ingredient

Common pain & emergency care medicines by name

Individual, dose-free guides to specific active ingredients (and their brands) in this area:

AlfentanilA strong, fast- and short-acting opioid given in hospital during anaesthesia and procedure…ArticaineA local anaesthetic used mainly in dentistry to numb a small area before treatment, given …BenzhydrocodoneAn opioid painkiller, combined with paracetamol, used for short-term moderate to severe pa…BenzocaineA topical local anaesthetic that numbs mouth, throat or skin pain, with a rare but serious…BupivacaineA long-acting local anaesthetic used for epidurals, spinal anaesthesia and nerve blocks, g…BuprenorphineAn opioid painkiller, often given as a slow-release skin patch for ongoing pain; it can ca…ButambenA numbing medicine applied to the skin or surface tissues to relieve pain and discomfort.…ButorphanolAn opioid painkiller, including a nasal spray, used for moderate to severe pain and migrai…ChloroprocaineA short-acting local anaesthetic used to numb an area for procedures, given by professiona…CinchocaineA strong numbing medicine used in piles creams and suppositories and some skin products.…Co-codamolA combination painkiller of paracetamol and codeine for pain not relieved by paracetamol a…Co-dydramolA combination painkiller of paracetamol and dihydrocodeine for pain not relieved by parace…CocaineA controlled local anaesthetic, used only in specialist surgery for its numbing and blood-…CodeineA weak opioid used for short-term pain that has not settled with simpler painkillers — eff…DihydrocodeineA moderate-strength opioid painkiller used for pain that is not controlled by ordinary pai…DipipanoneA strong opioid painkiller for moderate to severe pain, available combined with cyclizine …DyclonineA topical local anaesthetic used in lozenges and sprays to numb and soothe a sore mouth or…Epinephrine (adrenaline)The emergency medicine for severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis), given by auto-injector…FentanylA strong opioid painkiller, often given as a slow-release skin patch for severe ongoing pa…HydrocodoneAn opioid painkiller (also used for cough) that is usually combined with paracetamol and i…HydromorphoneA strong opioid painkiller used for severe pain, including cancer pain, available in stand…LevobupivacaineA long-acting local anaesthetic for epidurals, spinals and nerve blocks, developed to be g…LevorphanolA strong, long-acting opioid painkiller used for severe pain, and a controlled drug.…LidocaineA common, fast-acting local anaesthetic used to numb the body for dental work, minor surge…MepivacaineA local anaesthetic used mainly in dentistry and for regional nerve blocks, given by train…MorphineA strong opioid for severe pain, available as fast-acting and slow-release forms — a contr…NalbuphineAn opioid painkiller, given by injection, used to relieve moderate to severe pain.…OxycodoneA strong opioid painkiller for severe pain, available in fast-acting and slow-release form…OxymorphoneA strong opioid painkiller used for severe pain, with a high risk of dependence and breath…PapaveretumA strong opioid painkiller, mainly morphine, used for moderate to severe pain, often aroun…PentazocineAn older opioid painkiller used for moderate to severe pain, of a type that acts in a mixe…PethidineAn opioid painkiller used for moderate to severe pain and sometimes in labour.…PrilocaineA local anaesthetic used for dental work, minor procedures and short spinals, and as part …ProcaineAn older ester local anaesthetic, also known as Novocain, used by injection to numb an are…ProparacaineA numbing eye drop used to numb the surface of the eye for examinations and minor procedur…RemifentanilAn ultra-short-acting opioid given as a drip during anaesthesia to control pain and blunt …RopivacaineA long-acting local anaesthetic for epidurals and nerve blocks, developed to be gentler on…TapentadolA strong opioid painkiller with a dual action, used for moderate to severe pain when weake…TetracaineA strong topical local anaesthetic used to numb the skin before needles and the surface of…TramadolAn opioid painkiller for moderate-to-severe pain that also acts on brain chemicals — a con…

Answers

Pain & emergency care: frequently asked questions

What medicines are used for the pain & emergency care?

This system includes 6 medicine classes — such as acetylcysteine, adrenaline auto-injectors, local anaesthetics, naloxone. Each links to a full, dose-free guide covering what it is, how it works, who can and cannot use it, side effects and interactions.

Do these pages give doses?

No. Every page on this site is dose-free. We explain which medicines are used and why, but doses depend on the individual and the exact product — always confirm with your prescriber, the BNF and the product labelling.

Is this a substitute for medical advice?

No — it is education and reference only. It helps you understand this body system and its treatments, but decisions about your own care should always be made with a qualified clinician.

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