Some painkillers are available without a prescription, and these are called over the counter (OTC) painkillers you can get from a pharmacy.
Over the counter painkillers for chronic pain include:
- Paracetamol
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDs), such as aspirin, ibuprofen or naproxen
- Co-codamol, which contains codeine and paracetamol
- Codeine with ibuprofen
A pharmacist will be able to advise you on which over the counter painkiller is right for your chronic pain. If you need to use OTC painkillers regularly or find that they’re no longer helpful, you should see your doctor for advice and to get different medicines.
You can see a doctor that specialises in treating chronic pain or try going to a pain clinic for chronic pain treatment.
