Overview
Analgesics are compounds that relieve the experience of pain while maintaining consciousness. Anesthetics cause the loss of consciousness, so while anesthetics are routinely used in surgery, analgesics are used to address pain in a more ordinary daily context. Colloquially, analgesics are referred to as “painkillers,” and they can come in the form of opioids, NSAIDs, and acetaminophen so they have the potential to be addicted.