Starling Fitness: Daily writings on Fitness, Diet, and Health

There are risks with every pain reliever that is available in the drug store. Most of us are too busy trying to open the bottle to actually read about the risks, but this article explains them nicely.

• Berkshire Eagle Online – Pain Relief Perils Hide in Tiny Type – by Jane Brody

The only problem with this article is that she doesn’t really explain the reason you might prefer anti-inflammatory pain relievers to other analgesics.

Tylenol (acetaminophen) is in the class of drugs called analgesics. It stops pain by elevating the pain threshold. It takes more pain to break through the acetaminophen barrier.

Advil (ibuprofen), Aleve (naproxen), and Aspirin are in a class of drugs called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). They stop pain by reducing the swelling that can cause pain. There is also some belief that they help you heal faster from an injury by allowing your body to heal while they stop the inflammation.

For those times that you overdo it at the gym, NSAIDs are the drug of choice, but then again, they might rip holes in your stomach. Acetaminophen might be a better option, but it might shut down your liver.

Choose your cure wisely.

Via: SportsGeezer