Is Piroxicam a Suitable Drug For Pain Relief?

Pain is a phenomenon experienced by everyone. Sometimes it is in form of a sting, a prick, or at times it is experienced as a burn or an ache. It can be a sharp sensation or a dull one. Sometimes it is intermittent and sometimes constant. Although everyone experiences it, the crucial thing to remember is that pain is never normal. Pain is a sign that something is not normal in your body and needs attention. For medical purposes, pain is divided into two types, pain that comes on suddenly is called acute pain, and pain which lingers for a long duration is known as chronic pain. Acute pain usually is caused due to a disease, injury, or inflammation. It can be diagnosed and treated. If not attended to it may turn into chronic pain. Chronic pain can cause severe problems.

Not every type of pain is cured, but all types of pain can be treated. The cause and type of pain help decide the treatment. Acupuncture, physiotherapy, traditional herbal ointments, and sometimes surgery are some of the non-drug treatment options. Medicines like Piroxicam are the choice of drug for pain management and treatment.

More about Piroxicam

Piroxicam is from the family of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, also known as NSAIDs. It helps by stopping the body’s production of a substance that causes pain, fever, and inflammation. Piroxicam is beneficial to relieve pain, inflammation, tenderness, swelling, and stiffness caused by arthritis. It helps treat pain associated with the following,

•    Osteoarthritis, arthritis of the joints, mainly due to the breakdown of the lining in the joints
•    Rheumatoid arthritis is due to swelling of the lining of the joints
•    Gouty arthritis causes severe joint pain and swelling. It is the result of the build-up of certain substances.
•    Ankylosing spondylitis is arthritis that occurs in the spine.
•    It is also found beneficial to treat pain after childbirth. 
•    Piroxicam is useful to treat muscle pain and swelling, 
•    Sometimes, the doctor may prescribe Piroxicam for menstrual pain or post-surgery.

Precautions before using Piroxicam

Discuss the risks and benefits of Piroxicam.
Piroxicam and most NSAIDs generally increase the risk of stroke or a heart attack, so discuss this with your doctor.
Inform your doctor if you have allergies to any drugs or medicines. Also, mention the medicines you take regularly.
Let your doctor know if you are trying to get pregnant or conceive.

Inform your doctor if you have any of the following conditions

•    If you have heart troubles
•    Blood clotting issues
•    If you have high blood pressure
•    If you have a stomach ulcer or bleeding troubles
•    If you have asthma
•    Liver or kidney issues
•    If you smoke
•    If you are pregnant or breastfeeding

Discussing this with your doctor gives a clear picture. The doctor can then take an informed decision before starting the treatment.

How to take Piroxicam?

Piroxicam is available as a capsule. Take the Piroxicam capsule by mouth. 
The usual prescribed dose is once a day or twice a day. It is advised to take the capsule at a fixed time of the day.
The recommended dose is an oral dose of 20 milligrams (mg) once daily. The maximum dose should not exceed 30-40 milligrams (mg)/per day.
Even if you miss a dose, never double the intake. Speak to your doctor if required.

How is Piroxicam available?

Piroxicam is available in 10 milligrams (mg) and 20 milligrams (mg) capsules, that are orally consumed. It is sold in the market by the following brand names.

•    Aloxicam, by Altius LS
•    Alpirox, by Alice HC
•    Amida, by Euphoric
•    Axicam, by Acme
•    Axicam Gel, by Acme
•    Biocam, by Biochemix
•    Brexic, by Wockhardt
•    Camrox, by Active HC

Side Effects of Piroxicam

Like most drugs, Piroxicam also has certain side effects. not all patients experience the side effects. In most cases, the effects are mild and subside on their own. If you feel any unwanted side effects, it is best to discuss the situation with your doctor.

Below are some common side effects of Piroxicam.

•   Diarrhoea
•   Constipation
•   Gas
•   Headache
•   Dizziness
•   A ringing sound in the ears

Sometimes although not common, a patient can experience some severe side effects. If you experience any of the following unwanted unpleasant symptoms consult your doctor immediately.

Severe side effects of Piroxicam

•    Problems seeing (vision)
•    Unexplained weight gain
•    Find it difficult to breathe
•    Swelling in the body
•    Fever
•    Blisters
•    pain in joints
•    Rash
•    Itching
•    Hives
•    Swelling seen on legs or hands
•    Hoarseness
•    Pale skin
•    Fast heartbeat
•    Excessive tiredness
•    Unusual bruising
•    Lack of energy
•    An upset stomach
•    A loss of appetite
•    Pain in the abdomen
•    Skin colour changing to yellow
•    Urine colour changes
•    Painful urination
•    Pain in the back

An overdose needs immediate medical attention. Following are some symptoms that suggest an overdose.

•    Lack of energy
•    Drowsiness
•    Upset stomach
•    Vomiting
•    Stomach pain
•    Stools that are red or black
•    Difficulty breathing
•    Drifting into coma

Whenever you experience any unusual symptoms, it is imperative to call your doctor or seek medical attention as soon as possible. Each person is unique and would react differently to the same medicine.

So, how do you know if Piroxicam is the medicine for you?

In the olden days, doctors tried several drugs in varied doses to find out the best-suited medicine and correct dose for the patient. Today we live in a new world and with modern techniques, it is easily possible to find out the exact medicine for you. The MEDNAwise pharmacogenetic testing from Indus Health Plus is the perfect diagnostic tool to identify medicines that are safe and most effective for you. Genes are central to controlling the response of your body to a drug and its efficacy. MEDNAwise scans these genes to understand your response to 70+ drugs across medical specialties. This helps your doctor to prescribe the medicine with maximum efficacy and the least side effects. Individual treatment plans are designed using this valuable tool. MEDNAwise test is your go-to product which will exactly tell you if Piroxicam is safe and effective for you. This helps the doctor decide on the pain management treatment better before you start with the first dose of medicine.

The advantages of the MEDNAwise test are

•    Mitigating adverse reactions to drugs
•    Improve patient outcome
•    Find the most effective drug and dose
•    Reduce the treatment time with precision medicines
•    Exact management of pain for better results

Moreover, the MEDNAwise test needs to be taken only once, the results can be used again whenever the need arises. It is a perfect tool in case of medical emergencies to get the best treatment and that too quickly. The best part, MEDNAwise pharmacogenetic test is affordable. It is an easy, simple, direct-to-consumer test. It is a saliva test. You can do it at your ease and as per your comfort. After the test, the genetic counsellors are available for a free consultation on the test results. They guide you with effective diet plans and further health check-ups.  It is time to invest in good health. Take the MEDNAwise pharmacogenetic testing today for a secure future and healthy life.