Analgesics are drugs used to alleviate pain. Pain relief by analgesics occurs because analgesics block the flow of pain signals to the baring or interfere with the interpretation of pain signals in the brain. Analgesics also suppress the pain mechanism in the body. Although analgesics are routinely used in pain management, they are not sufficient in treatment of patients (DETP, nd).
The management of pain needs a careful consideration of all the contributory factors responsible for contributing to the pain circuit or the painful stimulus. For example, neuropathic pain is caused by nerve dysfunction while back injuries are caused by factors such as herniated discs and specific nerve roots (DETP, nd). Whereas analgesics are useful in the treatment of chronic pain, they are not sufficient form of treatment until all the factors that contribute to the pain circuit are evaluated and treated.
The use of analgesics is also influenced by the culture of individuals. For example, the Chinese believe in a holistic view of emphasizing the importance of environmental factors in health. The ying and the yang are the opposite forces that control the universe and influence the relationship between the people and the environment. An imbalance between the two forces results in illness. This view of the Chinese influences the way Chinese take medicine (Kemp, 2002).
In traditional Chinese culture, taking medicine is considered aversive hence Chinese take medicine until symptoms disappear. The Chinese belief of the imbalance of yin and yang makes them take medication without doctor’s consultation. This may lead to deterioration of illness and aggressive treatments thereafter. Continued use of analgesics can also delay the diagnosis of a major ailment in a patient if the entire components that cause pains in patients are not investigated.
Cambodians also believe an imbalance between natural forces and changes in the environment can cause disease. Illness many also be caused by spiritual causes. They mostly use traditional medicine. They are also very reluctant to express negative experiences or complain in case of illness. It may be very difficult for a physician to identify an Ailment in a Cambodian patient.
Cambodians emphasizes the symptoms of a disease rather than the illness or disease and stop using medicines when symptoms disappear. A doctor who uses only analgesics to treat Cambodians may therefore, not know the true nature of disease affecting them because these people do not express their feelings well without performing other tests and treatment regimes (Kemp, 2002).
The Japanese also have similar views of health, as the Chinese .Japanese believes that health is determined by the harmonious relationship with the universe. Acupuncture and moxibustion are used to restore the balance in the body. These traditional Japanese views on medicine make them use medication to treat symptoms of the disease than their definite causes using traditional Japanese medicine (Moran, 1999).
A doctor who uses only analgesics to Treat Japanese patients might miss diagnosing the true cause of a disease because Japanese emphasize symptoms rather than the cause of a disease. Analgesics should be used as an adjunct therapy to further treatment and tests that are done to patients. Treatment using analgesics only as the treatment regime should only be considered when further tests are done on patients to verify that there are no underlying illnesses in patients. In case, there are underlying illnesses that cause pain to patients, the diseases should also be treated and analgesics used as an adjunct therapy in the treatment regime (Fischer et al, 2007).
References
DETP (nd). Management of pain in persons with dementia .Washington: Author.
Fischer R et al, (2007). Nursing considerations in the use of non-prescription, analgesics
Antipyretics, aspirin and acetaminophen. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/586543
Kemp C. (2002) Asian cultures. Retrieved from
http://www3.baylor.edu/~Charles_Kemp/.
Moran S. (1999) Traditional health practices Japanese traditional healing practices. Retrieved
From http://www.hawcc.hawaii.edu/nursing/japan1.htm
