The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new drug for the treatment of moderate-to-severe pain that is a non-opioid and carries less risks of addiction than opioids.
Journavx works to reduce pain by targeting and interfering with the pain-signaling system located in the outer parts of our nervous system, stopping pain signals from reaching the brain.
The analgesic drugs that are typically prescribed for short-term pain—such as following an injury or surgery—work by either reducing the inflammation that causes pain or changing how the brain perceives pain.
These analgesics can sometimes contain opioids, a class of drugs that derive from, or imitate, the natural pain-relieving substances found in the opium poppy plant.
Opioids, which are also sometimes called opiates, painkillers or narcotics, all work by activating nerve cells called opioid receptors that, in turn, then block pain signals from the body to the brain.
Morphine, codeine, oxycodone, hydrocodone and fentanyl are all opioids. A person using opioids over time can develop tolerance, physical dependence and opioid use disorder, with the risk of overdose.
People suffering from arthritis pain will have a new treatment available after the FDA announced it was approving a new drug for pain - Journavx. People suffering from arthritis pain will have a new treatment available after the FDA announced it was approving a new drug for pain - Journavx. People photo created by freepik - www.freepik.com
What Is Non-Opioid Medication?
These are drugs often prescribed for mild to moderate pain. Sometimes they can be taken alongside opioids for treatment of more severe pain.
A familiar non-opioid—acetaminophen—is available in pharmacies without prescription and sold under the brand name Tylenol. It works by blocking chemical messages in the brain that would normally tell us we are having pain. It reduces pain but does not act on inflammation.
Meanwhile, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are another class of non-opioids that are very effective for relieving pain, through their anti-inflammatory effects.
More than 30 million Americans daily use NSAIDs to relieve the pain from headaches, sprains and arthritis. The most common of these are aspirin and ibuprofen.
NSAIDs work by blocking the work of two enzymes called Cox-1 and Cox-2. This stops the production of prostaglandins—hormone-like substances that are needed to produce inflammation and pain.
When the prostaglandins are blocked by NSAIDs it results in less swelling and pain in the body.
What Is the Most Widely Used Non-Opioid Medication?
One of the most non-opioid medications is Acetaminophen. It is available in hundreds of over-the-counter products and can be often used in combination with opioids to reduce pain.
Similarly to NSAIDs, acetaminophen is thought to work by blocking Cox enzymes from making prostaglandins. However, Acetaminophen only works in the central nervous system, while the NSAIDs work in the brain and all around the body.
It's thought that acetaminophen works by raising a person's pain threshold. It also works by impacting the heat-regulating area of the brain to lower an elevated temperature and, thus, reduce a fever.
What is Journavx?
Suzetrigine was developed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals and approved for sale under the brand name Journavx.
The drug works on the peripheral nervous system and therefore avoids the potential for addiction that comes with the opioids.
Journavx acts by closing little channels in peripheral nerve cells that normally permit the passage of sodium in and out of cells. This prevents pain-signaling nerves from transmitting painful sensations to the brain.
A woman recovering from knee surgery and undergoing a scan. A new drug - Journavx - has been approved by the FDA for severe pain, such as that which can follow surgical procedures. A woman recovering from knee surgery and undergoing a scan. A new drug - Journavx - has been approved by the FDA for severe pain, such as that which can follow surgical procedures. Allyson Moulton
What pain relievers are safe to take?
The most commonly used pain relievers are all safe for general use, but each of them come with specific risks attached.
It is important with acetaminophen to be careful to take it as the label directs, because if large doses of this medicine are taken every day over a long period—or with alcohol—liver and kidney damage can result.
Ibuprofen can increase the chance of people suffering a heart attack or stroke, and this is especially true if the person has taken the drug over a long period, smokes, has high blood pressure or a family history of heart disease.
Aspirin, meanwhile, can lead to an upset stomach can also be a side effect of Aspirin, and can, in rare cases cause stomach or intestinal bleeding.
It's important to be careful with Aspirin when it comes to children—if they have flu, chicken pox or any other viral infection they should not be given the drug, as that can put them at risk of Reye's syndrome, which affects the brain and liver.
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