Definition: The optimum amount of medication that gives the intended benefit (such as back pain relief) while minimizing or avoiding side effects. Doctors often titrate, or test and adjust, the dosage of a medication. This is done to strike a balance between giving you the relief you seek while keeping unwanted effects such as an upset stomach (NSAIDs), liver damage (Tylenol if you are a drinker or already have liver problems) or addiction (morphine) at bay.
Unfortunately, it is not always possible to relieve back or neck pain completely. In that case, the prescribing doctor will go for a therapeutic range that keeps your pain tolerable without bringing on side effects.
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The therapeutic range of a medication is the safe zone - the amount that can be taken that will give benefits but avoid unwanted side effects.
