ABSTRACT
Opioids relieve pain by acting on endorphin receptors in the central nervous system rather than tackling the cause of the pain; they have no anti-inflammatory action. Short-term use for musculoskeletal conditions may be needed if other analgesics fail to relieve pain, but beyond a 2-week course, dependency is a major risk and non-pharmacological treatments provide a far better option. There is a temptation to overtreat insect bites or stings with antibiotics because the appearance of the normal inflammatory response to the sting toxin may look like an infection. A bacterial infection carried by deer ticks. A burn is caused by heat or electricity, whereas a scald is caused by hot liquid or steam. Superficial burns or partial-thickness burns covering less than 5% of the body are called minor burns. If the bite was sustained abroad, record the details carefully in case the patient presents later with symptoms that could be a disease from the bite, such as malaria or leishmaniasis.
