Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Capable of relieving pain: Describes something that has the property of reducing or eliminating the sensation of pain.

2. Noun:

   • A medicine used to relieve pain: A substance or drug administered to alleviate pain.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • The doctor prescribed a cream with an analgesic effect for the muscle strain.
  • This herb is known for its analgesic properties.

• Noun:

  • She took an analgesic for her headache.
  • Common over-the-counter analgesics include aspirin and ibuprofen.

Advanced Usage

• "Analgesic ladder": A World Health Organization (WHO) guideline for managing pain, starting with mild analgesics and escalating to stronger ones if needed.

  • The treatment followed the WHO analgesic ladder.

• "Analgesic nephropathy": A form of kidney damage associated with long-term overuse of certain analgesic medications.

  • The patient's condition was diagnosed as analgesic nephropathy.

Variants and Related Words

• Analgetic (adj/n): An alternative, less common spelling for 'analgesic'.
• Analgesia (n): The absence of the sensation of pain while remaining conscious.
  • The patient was under analgesia during the procedure.
• Anodyne (adj/n): A formal or literary synonym meaning capable of relieving pain or something that soothes.

Synonyms

• Painkiller (n): A common synonym for the noun form.
• Pain reliever (n): A descriptive synonym for the noun form.
• Anesthetic (adj/n): Can be similar but typically refers to causing a complete loss of sensation, including pain, often with loss of consciousness.

Related Phrases

• "Non-opioid analgesic": A pain-relieving drug that is not derived from opium (e.g., acetaminophen, NSAIDs).
  • For mild pain, a non-opioid analgesic is recommended first.
• "Analgesic patch": A transdermal patch that delivers pain medication through the skin.
  • He used an analgesic patch for chronic back pain.

Adjective

1. capable of relieving pain
   • the anodyne properties of certain drugs
   • an analgesic effect

Noun

1. a medicine used to relieve pain