Side Effects of Pain Medication

Are you nauseated? Constipated? Depressed? Tired and sluggish? Managing these and other side effects of medication can make treatment of your pain much more effective.

No matter how significant your pain becomes, you and your doctor should always pay attention to the other aspects of your physical and emotional health that can affect how you experience pain.

You don't have to suffer side effects in order to get pain relief. Tell your doctor about any discomfort you have. Many unpleasant side effects can be relieved without interrupting your pain relief. These include:

• Lethargy
• Constipation
• Nausea
• Dry mouth
• Urinary retention
• Slowed breathing