Today's painkillers are effective enough at doing their job, but carry the risk of side effects and negative health impacts – a problem that a new study tackles by homing in on the pain relief part in mice and lab-grown cells. Technically, these painkillers are known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , or NSAIDs. They work by blocking the production of prostaglandins , chemicals released by the immune system that trigger inflammation and pain, as a way of repairing damage to the body and