[Dynamics]

lam - when you ask, also ask about the different types of drugs. Do pain killers act differently than….. say cocaine?

that question asks for a bit more specifics (which pain killer are you talking about). a lot of pain killers work differently, ibuprofen, aspirins, and other painkillers have different "molecular targets" (receptors, enzymes, ion channels or carrier/transport proteins). once a painkiller reaches their target it does what it does (blocks or stimulates the effects that "molecular target" is responsible for) and then slowly gets broken down by the body as others have mentioned.

the answer to your question is yes, cocaine does operate differently to pain killers. cocaine stimulates certain chemicals in the brain - noradrenaline, serotinin and dopamine. however, the site of action for the pain killers i assume you're talking about is not the brain. painkillers usually work by antagonizing receptors in the body and stopping the stimulation of receptors responsible for the feeling of pain and inflammation.

hope this answer helps