Should you take pills or use patches for pain relief?
Learn the differences of each treatment method to find what might work best for you.
- Reviewed by Anthony L. Komaroff, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Health Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing

We all want effective pain remedies, and pills and patches are common options. Both are available with prescription or nonprescription active ingredients. But which is best to relieve discomfort: a pill or a patch?
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About the Author

Heidi Godman, Executive Editor, Harvard Health Letter
About the Reviewer

Anthony L. Komaroff, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Health Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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