Pain Reliever

Understand How To Choose A Pain Reliever That Works

Should you take Tylenol for inflammation? Is it ok to give aspirin to children? You'd be surprised at what people don't know about their over the counter or prescription pain reliever.

We all take a pain reliever at some point in time, but that doesn't necessarily mean we are taking the right one to deal with the symptoms that are being suffered. Knowing the in's and out's of pain medication is the best way to make sure you get your pain under control.

Over the counter pain reliever medicines are among the most common used to control pain. Mild to moderate pain caused by headaches, muscle aches and some more severe conditions can benefit from their use. However moderate to severe cases of pain caused by everything from postoperative recovery to cancer, might require prescription pain medicine.

You may find that a pain reliever that is good for one type of pain isn't good for another. That's why it's important to know the characteristics of the general pain reliever types: Aspirin works on fever, inflammation and pain, but can cause stomach bleeding.

Acetaminophen like Tylenol is good for reducing fever, pain and won't cause stomach bleeding, but it won't work on inflammation. Ibuprofen works well against pain, fever and inflammation, but can cause stomach bleeding just like aspirin.

The effects of each of the above three lasts around 4 hours or longer. Naproxen, a relative newcomer is similar to Ibuprofen and aspirin in terms of pain relief and fever reduction and may cause stomach bleeding. However the Naproxen pain reliever has effectiveness for around 8 to 12 hours.

Your pain reliever should work for your specific pain needs. If your pains are severe, ask your doctor about prescribing a prescription pain reliever to give you control of your pain symptoms.