Proper use of painkillers (Pros and Cons)

Often in case of pain, people choose painkillers as their first aid. Although it helps to relieve pain for a while, it is in no way a substitute for a doctor's appointment. Pain is a signal that indicates a disorder in the body, so it should not be ignored. Alīna Kriviņa, a lecturer at the Department of Pharmacology at Riga Stradiņš University and a pharmacist at the pharmacy network , shares her observations.

"Painkillers fall in to the group of over the-counter medications, and therefore people believe that such drug is safe with out reading its pros and cons for use," says the specialist. This is a mistake because when used for a long time, in high doses or in combination with other medicines, they can cause gastrointestinal disorders (ulcers, bleeding), kidney problems, changes in blood pressure and other health problems.

Pharmacologist observations and recommendations

• No risk of overdose! Often people choose medicines by name rather than chemical composition, so there may be a situation where a person buys several medicines with the same composition but different names. Therefore, it is recommended that you consult your pharmacist before purchasing this medicine.

• Read the instructions for use! People were interested in the drugs that appear in the media, but pay little attention to whether the drug will be suitable for his individual diseases. Any advertisement should warn you to read the package leaflet or consult a specialist pharmacist or doctor;

• Tell your pharmacist about the pain! People are reluctant to tell pharmacists about their health problems, but it should be borne in mind that this can have a significant impact on their choice of medicine. For example, if a person has a stomach ulcer, not all painkillers are safe;

• Do not share your medicine! When trying to help relatives or friends, people tend to share their medicines, but do not find out whether they will be suitable for this particular person with his type of pain;

• Use the medicine according to the instructions for use! There are cases when people chew or break the medicine, breaking the structure of the tablet and irritating the digestive system, if they want a faster effect from the medicine;

• Be sure to drink water for this medicine! For a variety of reasons (severe pain, haste, lack of water), patients take painkillers without drinking water or at all. People simply swallow them, but without the help of water, the tablet / capsule is difficult to get into the digestive system. There is also an increased risk of oesophageal irritation and ulcers;

• Observe the exposure time! People often take large doses of medication to relieve severe pain as quickly as possible. Wanting a faster effect, people are impatient and do not respect the duration of action of the drug. It must be remembered that medicines that need to be swallowed will never work after one minute (only medicines given into a vein can work so quickly). The effect usually appears within 30 minutes to one hour.

• Check that medicines used to control other diseases can be used with painkillers! Pay attention to the range of medicines used on a daily basis, as long-term use of painkillers in combination with other medicines may cause adverse effects of painkillers much faster or more intensively, for example, on the digestive system, kidney function. The risk of side effects may increase or the effect of other medicines may decrease;

• Pay attention when the medicine is to be used! Be sure to find out how to use your particular painkiller. If the manufacturer has incorporated the active substance in a shell or capsule that does not irritate the stomach (there will be no burning, stomach pain after use), then the person can take the drug regardless of the meal time. On the other hand, another manufacturer, for example, will not have such a super-wrapper, so it is necessary to get acquainted with the correct use even if the chemical composition is known.