Some over the counter pain relievers are an effective way to combat the effects of overuse injuries caused by sports activities.
The majority of over the counter pain relievers sold in U.S. contain one of the following ingredients: acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or aspirin. At recommended doses, all three have about same effect on reducing pain.
For reducing pain and inflammation, only ibuprofen and aspirin are effective.
Aspirin (brand names: Anacin, Ascriptin, Bayer, Bufferin, Ecotrin, Excedrin)
- is most commonly used anti-inflammatory medication
- sport doctors recommend aspirin to reduce the pain and inflammation seen in the initial stages of most injuries
- aspirin is strong enough to reduce mild to moderate pain caused by inflammation like tendon inflammation, nerve inflammation
- first effects of aspirin are felt in 30 min, although its maximum benefits are experienced two hours after the dosage is taken
Aspirin has well known side effects like tendency to irritate the stomach lining; prolonged use may cause permanent kidney damage; some people are allergic to aspirin and others.
Ibuprofen (brand names: Advil, BayerSelect Ibuprofen, Midol IB, Motrin IB, Nuprin)
- is less irritating to stomach than aspirin
- is effective in controlling the pain and inflammation of sports injuries
- ibuprofen is a powerful drug, and only the amount necessary to reduce symptoms should be used
You should always ask your doctor before you use aspirin and ibuprofen!
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