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Pain Management

At Mundipharma South Africa, we think differently about pain. We know we cannot always cure the cause of people’s pain but we can help address the pain-life balance, shifting experience away from pain and back towards the full enjoyment of life. We are proud of our track record of bringing innovative pain solutions, backed by sound clinical evidence, to the market. Our analgesic products provide effective options in the management of various types of pain, from acute to chronic.

The Mundipharma analgesic product range:

Logo Targin

TarginAct® (oxycodone/naloxone)
Prolonged Release Tablets

View TarginAct®
Logo Sovenor

Sovenor® (buprenorphine)
7-day Transdermal Patches

View Sovenor®
Logo Oxycontin

OxyContin® (oxycodone)
Prolonged Release Tablets 

View OxyContin®
Logo Oxynorm

OxyNorm® (oxycodone)
Immediate Release Capsules

View OxyNorm®
Logo Mst

MST Continus® (morphine)
Prolonged Release Tablets 

View MST Continus®
Oxynorm Injection Logo Sml

OxyNorm® Injection (oxycodone)
Solution for injection or infusion

View OxyNorm® Injection

Our Commitment to Safety

We have a proud five-year heritage in pain management in South Africa and are committed to enable healthcare professionals to treat their patients in pain safely and responsibly.

As an organisation that distributes opioids, we believe we have a responsibility to take measures to minimise the risk of misuse and abuse of these medicines while not depriving the patients that need them.

We recognise that misuse and abuse of pain medications can lead to addiction, overdose and death, and we are aware of the public health risk these potent medications can create, especially when they are diverted, misused and/or abused. That is why we are committed to reducing the risk of misuse and abuse through a secure supply chain, appropriate education of healthcare professionals, responsible sales and marketing and close collaboration with government authorities and medical organisations.

We fund educational initiatives in line with industry regulations that clearly communicate the facts about opioid medicines in a balanced and responsible manner, outlining both risks and benefits and helping to ensure that our medicines are prescribed only to the right patient for the right reasons.

We are also committed to finding new approaches to the management of pain, including research into new mechanisms and medicines with the potential to reduce or avoid the need for opioids.

At Mundipharma South Africa we know pain is personal, pain is dynamic and pain is subjective. Pain has a significant impact on our society – it may not have a voice, but we believe its footprint is immeasurable. This is why we will continue to drive education on pain and its appropriate management. We believe that our innovative products can play a role in improving the lives of pain patients, their families and healthcare professionals"

Shannon te Roller General Manager

 

Understanding Pain

Pain means different things to different people and different things to the same person at different times.

Pain is something that you feel physically; your body senses it and we know a great deal about the physical side of pain. However, it is also something you feel emotionally. Pain is personal to you and is affected by your experiences and your individual responses. It affects your ability to function normally due to its impact on mobility, sleep and mood. This can change your perception of the world, driving anxiety, depression and fear. It can also be hard for doctors, friends and family to understand exactly what you are feeling with your pain.

It is important to distinguish between acute and chronic pain.

Acute pain graph

Acute pain is generally sudden in onset, and lasts a relatively short time. It can be regarded as an “emergency” pain signal that protects you from further injury to yourself or warning you of damage that has just occurred. Acute pain generally disappears when the injury heals or the illness goes away (either of its own accord, or after successful treatment), or the body can no longer detect the source of the pain (eg: your rubbing shoe).

Chronic or persistent pain graph

Chronic or persistent pain lasts for at least 3 months and may range from mild to severe. It is said to be chronic when it is present, to some degree, for long periods of time. The pain may be constant or come and go. This can resolve over time, or may be something that the person must live with for the rest of their life. If this is so, the pain can grow from being one of many symptoms, to the main problem.

The following are different types of chronic pain:

Musculoskeletal
  • Back Pain
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Fibromyalgia
Neuropathic Pain
  • Diabetic neuropathy
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Phantom limb pain
  • Postherpetic neuralgia
  • Post-stroke pain
  • Sciatica
  • Shingles
  • Trigeminal neuralgia
Other types of pain
  • Angina
  • Cancer pain
  • Headache
  • Migraine
  • Post-operative pain

If uncontrolled, chronic persistent pain can affect relationships with loved ones and it can even destroy the will to live. Fortunately, pain can usually be controlled. If you are constantly in pain, it is important to visit your doctor and find out how you can better manage it. The management of pain should tackle both its physical and its emotional components, involving not only medication, but also stress relief and relaxation techniques, physical therapy and exercise.