臨床上止痛類藥的分類（八大類）

Types (classes) of pain medication

‧ 非類固醇類止痛藥Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) act on substances in the body that can cause inflammation, pain, and fever.

針灸能夠完全代替的有：

‧ 固醇類激素Corticosteroids are often administered as an injection at the site of musculoskeletal injuries. They exert powerful anti-inflammatory effects. They can also be taken orally to relieve pain from, for example, arthritis.

針灸沒法完全取代，特別是急性期炎症性疼痛，需要這些藥幫助。

‧ 對乙醯氨基酚（撲熱息痛）Acetaminophen increases the body’s pain threshold, but it has little effect on inflammation.

針灸可以代替這類藥物

‧ *鴉片類止痛藥Opioids, also known as narcotic analgesics, modify pain messages in the brain.

針灸可以部分代替，需要早些介入治療。

‧ 肌肉鬆弛劑Muscle relaxants reduce pain from tense muscle groups, most likely through sedative action in the central nervous system.

針灸可以替代

‧ 抗焦慮藥Anti-anxiety drugs work on pain in three ways: they reduce anxiety, they relax muscles, and they help patients cope with discomfort.

針灸效果優於這些藥物效果

‧ 抗抑鬱藥Some antidepressants, particularly the tricyclics, may reduce pain transmission through the spinal cord.

針灸可以部分代替，但對於有自殺傾向的，一定要針灸與西藥並用。

‧ 抗癲癇類藥Some anticonvulsant drugs also relieve the pain of neuropathies, possibly by stabilizing nerve cells.

針灸可以代替這些藥物，比如neurotin, lyrica, tegretol，對於炎症性疼痛和感染性疼痛，針灸止痛作用的局限性，需要配合中藥抗菌消炎(激素和抗菌素)來治本。

仔細看來針灸有無之地是很寬廣的。