Nonprescription Pain Relief - What's Right for You?

Pain Relief

The pain relief options at your local drugstore can make your head spin. Acetaminophen or ibuprofen? Maximum strength or regular? Can you use one or do you need several for different types of pain? The January 2005 issue of Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource offers information to help you make the best choice in analgesics - medications that reduce pain.

Medication type: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) provide pain relief and reduce inflammation and swelling. A medication from this category, which includes aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others), naproxen sodium (Aleve) and ketoprofen (Orudis), may be a good choice for conditions that involve inflammation or swelling. A caution, however: all NSAIDs can irritate your stomach lining and cause ulcers, resulting in abdominal pain, nausea or heartburn. Ibuprofen, naproxen sodium and ketoprofen should be avoided if you have GI ulcers, heart failure, an aspirin allergy or if you take blood thinners.

Acetaminophen (Tylenol and others) relieves pain, but doesn't reduce inflammation. One benefit: acetaminophen isn't associated with stomach irritation or bleeding problems. But taking too much may cause liver damage. Many products, including cough and cold medications and sleep aids, contain acetaminophen. Avoid using more than one product at a time that contains acetaminophen.

Unneeded extras: It's generally better to take only the ingredient you need - a painkiller for pain, a decongestant for congestion, rather than a combination product.

Formulations: Some analgesics are buffered, which means they contain an antacid and some are enteric coated. The coating allows the pill to pass through your stomach to your small intestine to reduce stomach irritation. Coated products may be a good choice if you take daily pain medication, but the coating delays absorption so they aren't good for quick relief. And you can still get ulcers from enteric-coated products.

Long-lasting relief: Timed-release formulas dissolve slowly and prolong the relief. They are better for lasting relief rather than immediate relief.

Strengths: As a rule, don't take more medicine than you need. Start with the lowest recommended dose and increase if needed. Don't exceed the maximum recommended dose.