Differences between Opioid and Non-opioid Analgesics

Two primary types of analgesics are narcotic (opioid) and non-narcotic (non-opioid) analgesics. There are several important differences between non-opioid agents and opioid analgesics.

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"The primary difference has to do with how they produce their analgesic effects. The opioid drugs reduce pain by working on special pain receptors in the nervous system, primarily located in the brain and spinal cord. The non-opioids, on the other hand, work more directly on injured body tissues."