WHO analgesic ladder

By Dr. Ahmad Najmi, Index Medical College, Indore)
WHO has formulated certain guidelines for the use of analgesic drugs in various painful conditions. These guidelines are known as WHO analgesic ladder. According to these guidelines :
1. For mild degree pain, simple nonopioid analgesic drugs like paracetamol or acetamenophen should be used
2. For moderate degree of pain weak opioid analgesic like codeine should be used with or without NSAIDS
3. For severe degree of pain, strong opioid should be used for e.g. morphine with or without non opioids