We're fortunate to have a range of medication forms to choose from when we need to control moderate to severe pain with the stronger pain medications. We often use oral forms of medication, such as tablets or liquid. We may choose rectal suppositories to meet the needs of other residents. Giving the medication by injection or an IV drip is another way we have to control pain. There is also a patch that is particularly convenient because it delivers a steady dose of pain medication for 72 hours, without the peaks and valleys of relief that can be associated with other forms of pain medication.