Medication class
Pain Relief
Over-the-counter and prescription pain medications, including NSAIDs, acetaminophen, and opioid analgesics for acute and chronic pain.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 55
- Medications
- 41
- With a generic
- 89%
- Avg generic savings
- 8
- In active shortage
Drug class assignments follow the FDA openFDA therapeutic classification, and clinical details are drawn from FDA Structured Product Labeling (DailyMed). See the full sources below.
PlainMeds tracks 55 pain relief medications compiled from official FDA drug labels, including adalimumab, etanercept, prednisone.
Pain Relief medications are grouped here by the openFDA therapeutic classification and drawn from FDA Structured Product Labeling. PlainMeds lists 55 in this class, 41 with a lower-cost generic available (averaging about 89% versus brand). Each drug page covers labeled uses, FAERS-reported side effects, interactions, recalls and NADAC pricing. This is educational information from public data, not medical advice.
What pain relief drugs cost
Highest NADAC acquisition cost per unit in this class, brand and generic
- secukinumab
secukinumab
$7,207 per unit
- golimumab
golimumab
$6,819 per unit
- certolizumab
certolizumab
$5,525 per unit
- adalimumab
adalimumab
$3,361 per unit
- etanercept $1,854
etanercept
$1,854 per unit
- sarilumab $1,853
sarilumab
$1,853 per unit
- abatacept $1,383
abatacept
$1,383 per unit
- infliximab $1,136
infliximab
$1,136 per unit
- methotrexate $471
methotrexate
$471 per unit
- tofacitinib $94
tofacitinib
$94 per unit
What this shows secukinumab is the costliest in this class at $7207.00/unit; generics in the same class run a fraction of that.
Generic availability vs other classes
75% of pain relief medications have a generic available, ranking #10 of 22 therapeutic classes (the typical class sits near 74%).
Source: CMS NADAC generic-availability flags across all PlainMeds therapeutic classes. The dot is this class; the line is the cross-class median.
abatacept
Orencia
Orencia is a medicine that helps to reduce inflammation.
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acetaminophen OTC
Tylenol
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is a medicine that can relieve pain and reduce fever.
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acetaminophen/hydrocodone
Vicodin, Norco, Lortab
This medicine contains acetaminophen and hydrocodone.
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acetaminophen/oxycodone
Percocet
Percocet is a strong pain medicine.
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adalimumab
Humira
Idacio is a medicine that blocks a protein called TNF.
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allopurinol
Zyloprim
Allopurinol is a medicine that lowers uric acid levels in your body.
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baricitinib
Olumiant
Olumiant contains baricitinib.
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buprenorphine (pain)
Belbuca, Butrans
Belbuca is a medicine used to treat severe, long-lasting pain.
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butorphanol
Stadol
Butorphanol nasal spray is a strong pain medicine.
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capsaicin OTC
Zostrix, Qutenza
Capsaicin cream is a medicine that helps relieve minor aches and pains.
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celecoxib
Celebrex
Celecoxib (Celebrex) is a medicine that reduces pain and swelling.
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certolizumab
Cimzia
Cimzia is a medicine that blocks a protein called TNF.
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codeine
Codeine Sulfate
This medicine contains acetaminophen and codeine.
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colchicine
Colcrys, Mitigare
Colchicine is a medicine used to prevent or treat gout flares and Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF).
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diclofenac OTC
Voltaren, Cataflam
Diclofenac is a gel that helps with arthritis pain in your hands, wrists, elbows, feet, ankles, or knees.
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diclofenac topical OTC
Voltaren Gel, Pennsaid
Diclofenac topical gel is a medicine that helps relieve arthritis pain.
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diflunisal
Dolobid
Diflunisal is a medicine that can help with pain and swelling.
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etanercept
Enbrel
Enbrel is a medicine that blocks a protein called tumor necrosis factor (TNF).
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etodolac
Lodine
Etodolac is a pain reliever and anti-inflammatory medicine.
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febuxostat
Uloric
Febuxostat (Uloric) helps manage high uric acid levels in adults with gout.
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fentanyl
Duragesic, Actiq
Fentanyl Citrate Injection is a strong opioid pain medicine.
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golimumab
Simponi
Simponi Aria is a medicine that blocks a protein called TNF.
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hydromorphone
Dilaudid
Hydromorphone (Dilaudid) is a strong pain medicine.
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hydroxychloroquine
Plaquenil
Hydroxychloroquine is a drug used to treat or prevent malaria, and to treat certain autoimmune diseases.
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ibuprofen OTC
Advil, Motrin
Ibuprofen is a drug that can reduce pain and fever.
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indomethacin
Indocin
Indomethacin is a drug that reduces pain and swelling.
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infliximab
Remicade
Inflectra is a medicine that blocks a protein called TNF.
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ketoprofen
Orudis
Ketoprofen extended-release capsules are a type of NSAID medicine.
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ketorolac
Toradol
Ketorolac (Toradol) is a strong pain reliever.
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leflunomide
Arava
Leflunomide is a drug that can help reduce the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.
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lidocaine topical
Lidoderm
Lidoderm is a skin patch that contains the numbing medicine lidocaine.
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mefenamic acid
Ponstel
Mefenamic acid is a medicine used to treat mild to moderate pain and menstrual cramps.
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meloxicam
Mobic
Meloxicam is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID).
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meperidine
Demerol
Meperidine is a strong pain medicine.
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methotrexate
Trexall, Otrexup
Methotrexate is a drug that can treat certain cancers, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and other conditions.
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methylprednisolone
Medrol
Methylprednisolone (Medrol) is a corticosteroid medicine.
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morphine
MS Contin, Kadian
Morphine is a strong pain medicine.
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nabumetone
Relafen
Nabumetone is a medicine that helps reduce pain and swelling.
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nalbuphine
Nubain
Nalbuphine injection is a strong pain medicine.
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naproxen OTC
Aleve, Naprosyn
Naproxen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID).
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oxaprozin
Daypro
Oxaprozin (Daypro) is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID).
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oxycodone
OxyContin, Roxicodone
Oxycodone is a strong pain medicine.
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pegloticase
Krystexxa
Krystexxa is a medicine used to treat chronic gout in adults when other treatments don't work well enough.
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piroxicam
Feldene
Piroxicam is a medicine that reduces pain and swelling.
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prednisone
Deltasone, Rayos
Prednisone is a steroid medicine that reduces inflammation in the body.
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probenecid
Benemid
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sarilumab
Kevzara
Kevzara is a medicine that can help treat rheumatoid arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica and polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
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secukinumab
Cosentyx
Cosentyx is a medicine that can help reduce inflammation in your body.
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sulfasalazine
Azulfidine
Sulfasalazine is a drug that reduces inflammation in the body.
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sulindac
Clinoril
Sulindac is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID).
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sumatriptan
Imitrex
Sumatriptan injection is a medicine used to treat migraine and cluster headaches.
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tapentadol
Nucynta
Nucynta is a strong pain medicine.
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tofacitinib
Xeljanz
Xeljanz is a medicine that reduces inflammation in your body.
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tramadol
Ultram, ConZip
Tramadol extended-release is a strong pain medicine.
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upadacitinib
Rinvoq
Rinvoq contains upadacitinib and it is a medicine that reduces inflammation in your body.
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Understanding the Pain Relief Category
The Pain Relief category currently lists 55 medications in this database, each drawn from FDA drug labels and grouped by therapeutic classification. Over-the-counter and prescription pain medications, including NSAIDs, acetaminophen, and opioid analgesics for acute and chronic pain. Clinical guidelines usually treat these medications as a reference set when weighing treatment options, switching strategies, or comparing safety profiles.
Within this category you'll find examples such as adalimumab, etanercept, prednisone, alongside 52 other entries. Each drug page links to the same underlying FDA data, labeled uses, adverse events reported to FAERS, documented interactions, warnings, and, where available, NADAC acquisition pricing from CMS. Over-the-counter and prescription options can sit in the same category but follow different regulatory pathways: OTC products have simplified labeling aimed at self-care, while prescription drugs include detailed monographs meant for clinicians. That distinction matters when comparing dosing, monitoring requirements, and contraindications.
Browsing a category is a research starting point, not a treatment recommendation. Effectiveness, tolerability, and cost for any individual patient depend on the specific condition, comorbidities, other medications, genetics, and insurance coverage, none of which can be inferred from a category list alone. FAERS report counts, recall history, and shortage status all evolve as new data is reported to the FDA, so the relative standing of drugs in this class can shift month to month. This page is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice, a licensed clinician is the right source for personalized guidance.
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Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled and last refreshed May 2026. See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a correction.