Check Medications to Beat Chronic Pain

Why it's important: There are significant differences in how pain medications work and which work best for a specific problem. Even if you have a favorite, go-to choice for pain, you may need to try other options, depending on the physical effects, time of day, and other factors.

What to do: Get familiar with the most common pain medications and when to use them. Even if you've gotten relief from a particular medication in the past, pay close attention to any side effects and to whether the drug loses effectiveness over time. Even better, make an appointment with your doctor specifically to discuss medications, and prepare by making a list of everything you're taking, when you tend to take it, and how often. (Or, simply take all your medications -- both prescription and over-the-counter -- with you.) Be honest; the doctor can't help you if he or she doesn't have a clear picture of what's happening. You'll also want to be very candid with your doctor about whether you're using alcohol or other recreational drugs.

Tip: Make sure you know both the generic and the brand names of all the drugs you're taking -- both prescription and over-the-counter -- to avoid confusion and double-dosing. Doctors say they see a surprising number of overdoses caused by taking both the generic and brand-name version of the same drug.