What are medications that are used to relieve pain called?

Medications that are specifically used to relieve pain are known as analgesics. This category of drugs works by blocking the transmission of pain signals to the brain or by modifying the perception of pain. Analgesics can vary in strength and are often classified as either non-opioid or opioid medications, with non-opioids being used for mild to moderate pain, and opioids being prescribed for more severe pain.

The other types of medications mentioned serve different purposes. Antibiotics are designed to treat bacterial infections and do not have a direct role in pain relief. Antidepressants are primarily used to treat depressive disorders but can also be effective in managing certain types of chronic pain through their impact on mood and pain perception. Anti-inflammatories, while they can help reduce inflammation and related pain, are not classified strictly as pain relievers in the same way that analgesics are. Thus, the term analgesics is the most appropriate and specific answer to the question regarding pain relief medications.