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ibuprofen

What's the Best Medicine For My Headache?
healthy living

DrSugar Answers: Best Medicine to Take For a Headache?

DrSugar is in the house!
by DrSugar

DrSugar is in the house! This week she gives us the skinny on OTC pain medications.

Dear DrSugar,
Do the different types of over-the-counter pain relievers work better for different problems? What should I take for a headache — is aspirin better than ibuprofen? What should I take if I have a fever or the flu? Is there one that's best for dealing with swelling for twists and sprains? What about a pulled muscle? I look in my medicine cabinet and don't know what to take for what ails me. Thanks!
— Pained and Confused

This is a great question since there are so many options for over-the-counter pain relief available, making it quite difficult to keep straight which one is good for different problems! To learn more about the different OTC pain medications and which one to use for different medical problems, keep reading!

The Difference Between OTC Painkillers Like Tyenol and Advil
tylenol

A Breakdown of Common OTC Pain Meds

Do you know what's in your medicine cabinet?
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Do you know what's in your medicine cabinet? A recent report in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine found that while over-the-counter medicine use is prevalent, many people don't know much about the active ingredients in popular painkillers like Advil and Tylenol.

When asked about the difference between common pain relief brands, most of the study's participants didn't know what was in Tylenol, Advil, or Aleve, or that overdosing on Tylenol, for example, could lead to serious liver damage.

While you may not think twice about popping a few pills the day after a particularly strenuous boot camp session, the fact is that the side effects from overdosing on painkillers can be serious. In fact, acetaminophen overdose continues to be the leading cause of liver failure in the United States.

Confused about whether you should take Tylenol or Advil for a pain, or what the correct dosage is? Read on for a chart of the most common OTC painkillers on the market after the break.

Is It Dangerous to Drink Alcohol While Taking Ibuprofen?
healthy living

What's the Deal With Alcohol and Ibuprofen?

If you wake up with a headache after a night of overindulging, sometimes figuring out what painkiller to take can make the headache even worse.
by

If you wake up with a headache after a night of overindulging, sometimes figuring out what painkiller to take can make the headache even worse. I've heard that it's bad to take acetaminophen (aka Tylenol), because it can lead to liver damage, but take note: you're also not supposed to drink while taking ibuprofen.

Ibuprofen is part of the anti-inflammatory drug family known as NSAIDs, which can cause tears in the stomach lining if taken on an empty tummy. Add alcohol to the mix, and the potential danger is heightened. If you take ibuprofen when drinking more than the recommended amount for women (about two to three drinks), you increase your risk of stomach irritation and bleeding. This is especially true for people who are prone to ulcers.

But wait! Taking Tylenol when you're hungover isn't such a good idea either. To find out why, read more

Liver Damage and OTC Pain Medication
tylenol

Liver Damage and OTC Pain Medication

Did you start your new Spring exercise regimen with a little too much gusto?
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Did you start your new Spring exercise regimen with a little too much gusto? Running for 60 minutes seemed like a great idea at the time right? Now every muscle in your legs is screaming with pain so you're going to take some pain medication, but you want to avoid the one that can cause liver damage. Do you remember which one it is?

Common Painkillers Linked to High Blood Pressure
acetaminophen

Common Painkillers Linked to High Blood Pressure

It's been recently reported that if you are frequently popping over-the-counter pain meds, you should know that they can raise your blood pressure, which in turn can lead to heart disease.
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It's been recently reported that if you are frequently popping over-the-counter pain meds, you should know that they can raise your blood pressure, which in turn can lead to heart disease.

Although men were the subject of this recent study, it confirms earlier research conducted on the effects of OTC pain medication on women's blood pressure.

The medications studied are staples in your medicine cabinet like aspirin, ibuprofen and acetaminophen. Researchers found, when reviewing data from both studies, that men and women who took these drugs for 6-7 days in a week were 1/3 more likely to develop high blood pressure.

The study showed that men who took acetaminophen were 34% more likely to be diagnosed with high blood pressure. Men who took aspirin were 26% more likely to have high blood pressure than non-users. Those who used ibuprofen increased their risk by 38%.

These drugs can affect the ability of blood vessels to expand and may also cause sodium retention, which are 2 factors that can both raise blood pressure.

Fit's Tips: If you've been advised by your doctor to take 1 aspirin a day, you should stick with it. If you're popping 8 ibuprofen pills a day to combat lower back pain, you should reconsider your strategy. See if you can fix the problem rather than just masking the pain.

Ibuprofen Beats Acetaminophen for Menstrual Pain
acetaminophen

Ibuprofen Beats Acetaminophen for Menstrual Pain

Although both ibuprofen and acetaminophen reduce menstrual pain, ibuprofen appears to be more potent for pain relief.
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Although both ibuprofen and acetaminophen reduce menstrual pain, ibuprofen appears to be more potent for pain relief.

Although ibuprofen is accepted as an effective treatment for painful periods, or dysmenorrhea, there is still controversy about the usefulness of acetaminophen.

To investigate further, a small trial was conducted involving 12 women with dysmenorrhea. They were given three different treatments in random order for three different periods: 1000 milligrams of acetaminophen, 400 milligrams of ibuprofen, or an inactive placebo, four times daily for three days.

The women rated the active medications as being more effective than the placebo. However, it appears that ibuprofen has a greater effect, and patients also preferred it.

Well there you have it. When a heating pad doesn't cut it for cramps, I'm reaching for some good old ibuprofen.