When taking painkillers, we only want one thing: it should stop hurting. And although we know that these pills are not indifferent to he alth, we do not realize how much they can harm us. Especially when we use them often.
It's not about enduring suffering bravely. On the contrary! When it hurts, you should alleviate the symptoms with the right specificity. But you also need to be aware of the risks. This is especially true now thatpainkillerscan be bought over the counter not only at a pharmacy, but also in supermarkets and gas stations. Moreover, every few minutes an advertisement appears on television, encouraging you to buy a new, wonderful product.
Pain medications - some important caveats
Use common sense when reaching forpainkillers . Here's what - apart from pain relief - they can affect our body:
- First of all:Pain can be a signal that there is some disease process going on in the body. Frequent use of such medications can mask the real symptoms and make us overlook the symptoms of a serious condition that requires immediate medical attention.
- Second:When swallowing painkillers out of habit, we forget that they (like antibiotics) are drugs and the substances contained in them, if taken in excess, poison organism.
- Third:Most over-the-counter painkillers have a strong mucosal effect and can cause serious gastrointestinal discomfort.
- Fourth:Many painkillers contain the same active substances, e.g. paracetamol is the main ingredient of, among others, Apapu, Paracetamol, Coldrex. Taking one remedy helps with pain relief. But combining it with another one that has the same active substance can be dangerous for us, even cause poisoning.
- Fifth: Not all painkillers are safe.Some of them, with prolonged use, can lead to kidney failure and anemia, and accelerate the development of cancer. It has also been proven that tablets containing matamizole can damage the bone marrow. You should not take painkillers containing aminophenazole and without clear medical indicationspropyphenazone. Doctors warn against pills with phenacitin, which adversely affects the kidneys and can be addictive.
- Sixth:An excess of painkillers affects the results of laboratory tests and gives an incorrect picture of your he alth. Among other things, the color of urine changes, the level of ammonia, glucose increases and potassium is lowered. Pregnancy tests taken after taking painkillers are not reliable.
Watch out for pain medications when driving
Taking painkillers too often can significantly reduce psychomotor performance. Particularly dangerous are those containing, even in small amounts, drugs (eg Methadone, Dolargan). Anesthetics commonly used in dentistry to treat or remove teeth work in a similar way. After using them, do not sit behind the wheel for at least two hours. Dizziness and dizziness can also appear after Tramal - a drug used quite often for post-traumatic pains, e.g. in fractures.
Over-the-counter painkillers containingacetylsalicylic acid or paracetamolhave little effect on reducing the driver's response. However, it is worth remembering that the caffeine contained in coffee and Coca-Cola intensifies the effect of painkillers, and a few tablets with a "cross" taken at once extend the driver's reaction by several dozen seconds. This is enough to cause a serious accident.
Read also: What are the side effects of taking paracetamol? Check it out!
How to prevent painkillers from harming
When choosing a painkiller, carefully read the leaflet, especially the points regarding the composition, contraindications and dosage. Let's decide on one agent and not combine it with others that work similarly.
To avoid stomach irritation, choose tablets in special casings and take them after eating. We should also remember thatactive substances contained in drugs interact with food . Painkillers cannot stand the company of wholemeal bread, groats and bran, which are products containing fiber. If there is a lot of it in the diet, the body will not absorb the painkillers and the treatment will not help.
Dose alone distinguishes a drug from a poison. Even vitamin C can harm your he alth if you take it without moderation.
Painkillers must not be combined with alcohol - it has a detrimental effect on the liverDo not take them with fruit juices , especially those containing strong acids, e.g. orange or grapefruit. Let's not swallow another tablet after 20 minutes, when the first onedid not help. The daily dose of the product specified by the manufacturer must not be exceeded. And most importantly: over-the-counter painkillers should not be taken for more than 3 days. If the symptoms persist, go to the doctor to decide whether we have something serious.
Read also: Comparison of painkillers: paracetamol, ibuprofen and aspirin - how do they work and what are their side effects?
Safe plasters
Painkillers in patches are used more and more often in severe or chronic pain conditions. The principle of their operation is very simple and at the same time brilliant. The active substance, i.e. the pain-fighting substance, is gradually absorbed through the skin and thus enters the bloodstream. Skin cells protect the body from getting too much of the active ingredient in at a time.The patch works for three days , and the drug contained in it does not burden the digestive tract and does not cause constipation. Nevertheless, it is found in the body, so as with other painkillers, it is better to exercise caution.
Read also: Why is the correct dosage of medication so important?
You have to watch out for children
In malnourished children, the absorption of painkillers is normal. However, the serum residence time (technically speaking, its half-life) is prolonged. Therefore, when administering painkillers, special care should be taken and the time between the administration of the next dose should be extended.Children suffering from pain should not be treated on their own . If it is necessary to give the child such a product, it is best to use preparations specially developed for them, e.g. in syrup. If we don't know what to choose, let's ask the pharmacist.
What the numbers say
- A statistical Pole, including newborns, takes painkillers 7 times a month.
- The most common ailments that we take pills for are headaches. 65 percent feel them. Poles. An additional 15 percent suffer from migraines. Although headaches are the most common, we most like to swallow powders because of backaches.
- Women use them twice as often as men.
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