Safely Managing Pain After Surgery: Common Medications and Treatments

If you're getting ready for surgery, you might be concerned about the pain you could experience afterward. You also might be curious about what pain medications are given after surgery, which work the best, and how long pain lasts after surgery. Pain management is an important part of surgery aftercare, and there are many methods to achieve good pain control.

The pain medication that you’ll receive after surgery depends on many different factors. This can include:

• The type of surgery you’re having

• Your age

• Any preexisting health conditions

Let’s take a closer look at the different types of pain medications available to treat pain after surgery and what you can expect.

Opioids

Opioids are effective at treating severe pain but can cause side effects like nausea, constipation, dizziness, and drowsiness. They also have a risk of dependence and tolerance. Some of the most commonly used opioids are:

• Oxycodone

• Hydrocodone with acetaminophen (Vicodin, Lorcet, Lortab, Norco, Xodol, Hycet)

• Oxycodone with acetaminophen (Endocet, Percocet, Roxicet, and Tylox)

Local anesthetics

Local anesthetics are medications that are injected or applied on the skin to numb the area. This can also include pain gels, patches, sprays, or creams that you can apply yourself. They usually don’t have serious side effects, but you may feel tingling or discomfort as the anesthetic wears off. 

Common local anesthetics include:

• Lidocaine patches (Lidoderm)

• Bupivacaine (commonly injected in the wound)

• Ropivacaine

• EMLA cream

• Lidocaine spray

NSAIDS and acetaminophen

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are medications used to treat mild-to-moderate pain after surgery. These medications aren’t addictive. But they can have side effects like stomach upset and bleeding issues. Here are some commonly used NSAIDs to treat post-op pain:

• Advil and Motrin (ibuprofen)

• Aleve (naproxen)

• Toradol (ketorolac)

• Aspirin

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is another type of pain reliever that’s commonly used for pain control after surgery. It can be used on its own or in combination with opioids, NSAIDs, or other medications.

Neurologic agents

Some antidepressants and seizure medications are also used for pain management after surgery. These may work by changing how pain signals are transmitted in the brain. The data on the effectiveness of antidepressants for managing pain after surgery is mixed though. More research is needed on which medications may work best in the immediate time period after surgery. 

Some of the most often used neurologic medications to treat pain after surgery include:

• Gabapentin (Neurontin)

• Pregabalin (Lyrica)

• Amitriptyline (Elavil)

• Duloxetine (Cymbalta)

What are the best pain relievers while recovering after surgery?

The best pain reliever to take after surgery varies from person to person. That’s why it’s important to discuss pain management with your medical team. You can talk about your surgery and how much pain to expect afterwards. 

You’ll also need to take into account your personal health history. Together, you’ll be able create a plan that’s both safe and effective. 

Try to pick up any prescribed pain medications from the pharmacy before your procedure so that you have them if you need them. You don’t want to wait until you’re in pain to fill your prescriptions. 

What are the risks of taking strong painkillers after surgery?

Strong pain relievers — like opioids — are useful medications for managing severe pain after surgery. But, there are risks associated with taking opioids. Let’s take a closer look at these below.

Sedation

Opioids can make you sleepy. This may be so severe that it can affect your daytime activities. You should be careful to only take what’s prescribed. So, it’s a good idea to let your healthcare professional know if it isn’t working to control your pain. 

If you take more medication than prescribed or take it with alcohol or other sedating medications, your heart rate and breathing can slow down. In serious cases, this can lead to coma or death.

Constipation

Opioids can cause constipation. For some people this can happen immediately, for others it can develop over time. While taking an opioid for post op pain management, there are some things you can do to try and prevent constipation. These include:

• Drinking lots of water

• Eating high-fiber foods, such as vegetables, whole grains, and beans

• Doing physical activity as tolerated

• Taking over-the-counter (OTC) laxatives

Physical dependence

Opioids can cause physical dependence and you may feel anxious or have trouble sleeping when you stop taking them. The risk of physical dependence increases the longer you take opioids. 

If you develop physical dependence, you’re also at risk of opioid withdrawal symptoms when you decrease the dose or stop taking it altogether. Opioid withdrawal can be an uncomfortable experience, so you’ll want to talk with your healthcare professional about how to avoid the risk of dependence.

Are there any nonmedication pain relievers that work for pain after surgery?

Besides pain medications, your surgeon may suggest nonmedication pain relief. This can include:

• Ice packs

• Gentle exercises

• Massage

• Acupuncture

• Aromatherapy

• Meditation

These options may work to control pain, or at least allow you to use a lower dose of medication. A lower dose of pain medication can be helpful to lower the risk of side effects as well. 

How long does pain typically last after surgery?

Most of the time, pain will peak 1 or 2 days after surgery and improve over the next week or two. How long pain lasts after surgery depends on the type of surgery you had, your age, and your health history. 

Keep in mind that everyone is different and it’s hard to predict exactly how soon you’ll recover. You should ask your healthcare team how long you should expect to have pain. That way you can have an idea on what to expect. 

When should you call your surgeon about ongoing pain after surgery?

Always let your surgeon know right away about any pain concerns you have after surgery. It’s normal to feel uncomfortable after surgery, but you shouldn’t be in extreme pain. If you are, your surgical team may need to make adjustments to your pain management plan or look for other sources of your pain. 

You’ll want to call your surgeon about your post-op pain if you notice:

• Your pain isn’t improving at the expected rate.

• Your pain has gotten worse all of a sudden or is unbearable.

• Your pain prevents you from doing basic daily activities.

• You’re feeling the need to take more pain medications than prescribed.

• You have signs of infection, such as fever, redness, swelling, and drainage at the surgical site.

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Frank Schwalbe, MD

Frank Schwalbe, MD, is an assistant professor of anesthesiology at the Yale School of Medicine. He has practiced anesthesiology for 30 years.

Edited by:

Karla Robinson, MD

Karla Robinson, MD, is a medical editor for GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified family physician with almost 20 years of experience in health through varied clinical, administrative, and educational roles.

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