What is Solpadol?

Solpadol is a specific brand of a combination painkiller known as co-codamol. It is used to treat severe pain (such as pain caused by surgery) or chronic pain (such as fibromyalgia) but should not be used in the case of mild to moderate pain (headaches, period cramps, toothache).

What is co-codamol?

Co-codamol is a combination drug that gets its name from the two active ingredients it contains; Codeine and Paracetamol. This dual action of using the two painkillers in harmony with each other makes for an extremely effective way to kill pain.

Codeine is an opiate painkiller that works by attaching to your opioid receptors in the brain to numb the sensation of pain. Opiate painkillers are considered the strongest category and as such, they come with some strong warning and precautions, as they carry a risk of dependency and addiction.

Paracetamol, on the other hand, is a category of its own and can be bought over the counter in certain doses. Because it belongs to a separate category of medication from Codeine, it is fine to take the two together as long as you follow the dosage instructions. This can either be by taking the two medications separately, or by taking them as a combination like co-codamol.

Who should take Solpadol?

Solpadol is a prescription-only medication, meaning that it’s down to your doctor or prescriber to decide if this is appropriate for the condition you are suffering with. Typically, those who are prescribed opiate painkillers are usually suffering with chronic pain (chronic back pain, neck pain). This may be due to damage to your body, but could also be due to surgery or amputation. For example, someone with Crohn’s disease who has had their bowel removed may suffer with chronic pain around their stomach.

Sometimes, people who have had limbs amputated end up suffering with a condition known as phantom limb pain; although the limb has gone, the brain doesn’t recognise this and when sending neurotransmitters to it, the lack of a response is registering as pain. Obviously, this response will never come if the limb has been amputated, so the pain continues chronically.

Another cause for chronic pain might be a brutal condition called fibromyalgia that literally causes pain all over the body. It can also cause additional symptoms such as extreme fatigue, difficulty sleeping and problems with your mental health or cognitive function. For these people, opiate painkillers are usually necessary on a daily basis.

How to use Solpadol

If your doctor has prescribed you Solpadol for one reason or another, it’s important to follow their instructions and dosage guidelines carefully.

Take Solpadol (or Co-Codamol) by swallowing the tablets whole with a drink of water. The usual dose for adults is to take 2 tablets every 4-6 hours, with a maximum dose of 8 tablets in any given 24 hour period. The drug is also suitable to be prescribed to adolescents over the age of 12 for the dose can vary so be sure to ask a doctor for clarification.

It’s important to be careful and responsible with Solpadol, as it is with any drug. It’s particularly important with opioid painkillers through, due to the risk of addiction that they carry. If you do feel yourself becoming dependent or being unable to cope without them then you should speak to a medical professional immediately, who will be able to construct a plan to help you.