Should I wait until my pain is bad before taking pain medicine?

No—it's better not to wait. According to the National Cancer Institute, you should take the prescribed amount of pain medicine at the scheduled time, rather than waiting until your pain gets bad.

If you wait to take your medicine, the pain may take longer to go away, or you may need to take more medicine. The best way to control pain is to stop it from starting or keep it from getting worse.

A few other tips go with this. Tell your doctor if the medicine isn't working, since the type or amount may need to change. Never stop taking your pain medicine without first talking to your doctor—stopping suddenly could cause withdrawal, with symptoms like anxiety, sweating, nausea, and vomiting. And if you aren't sure exactly when to take your medicine, ask your doctor.

Controlling pain well can make a real difference: it can improve your mood, help you sleep better, and give you energy. Trying to just "deal with" the pain can make it harder to control in the future, so it's worth taking your medicine as prescribed and reporting how it's working.