Posted on March 9, 2010.
Choose between OTC Pain Relievers We tend to treat all painkillers as if they were the same, but are they? " How do you know if your pain would go away faster if you take ibuprofen instead of acetaminophen? Not all painkillers are created equal, so here's a quick guide to what works best and when.
Aspirin
This is a classic, but when you use it beyond these times when the doctor tells you to take two and call in the morning?
Aspirin enters your bloodstream, reacts with substances that are concentrated in places painful (Prostaglandins) and then limit how many can be there. Well aspirin anti-inflammatory and work on headaches and other minor aches. Some people also take it as a preventive for heart disease. However, this is not a miracle drug never. Aspirin is one of the worst of your normal anti-inflammatory drugs if you take him for a while, especially because it may give you heartburn and other digestive problems. It should not be used by children (it is linked to Reye's syndrome) or hemophilia (it is an anti-coagulant).
Ibuprofen
Ibuprofen, better known under the brand name Advil painkiller , is not so different from aspirin and works in much the same way. However, ibuprofen is generally easier on the stomach and esophagus. It is especially good for people who have ulcers, but still need to relieve inflammation and is a favorite for arthritis.
Naproxen
OTC naproxen is better known as Aleve. Naproxen may be used for headaches, but it is one of the drugs most effective anti-inflammatory. For many people, this is the best choice for sprains, sunburn, and menstrual cramps. It also tends to last a little more than aspirin or ibuprofen, probably because the OTC version is newer and just a step from a dose prescription.
Acetaminophen
Better known as Tylenol, acetaminophen is not an anti-inflammatory. He works as a painkiller for headaches and a fever reducer, but this is not the best choice to deal with arthritis or other inflammatory-based pain. However, it is also better for children, hemophiliacs and people with heartburn or other esophageal problems. For pain that does not come to a sprain or inflammation of others is probably the best thing to use - at least if you want your stomach thanks you.