The other effects

When taken under a physician8217;s guidance, the drug has three major therapeutic effects. It is a pain reliever, an effective antipyretic which means it reduces your body temperature and it is ananti-inflammatory agent useful in arthritis and injuries to muscles or joints.

But there is a flip side too. Aspirin distorts the inner lining of the stomach the cyto-protective layer and may lead to gastric disorders when abused taking them on an empty stomach, for instance. Do not consume aspirin if you have a stomach or duodenal ulcer.

Prolonged and excessive use of analgesics can also cause damage to the kidney and liver. High doses of aspirin will commonly cause tinnitus, ringing in the ears, and may, in extreme cases, result in hearing loss. These symptoms will disappear when the dosage is reduced.

Of late, a debate rages over whether aspirin could cause Reye8217;s Syndrome. This is a serious and often fatal illness which can occur in children and adolescents following certain viral infections. Which is why physicians nowadays do not prescribe aspirin to children with symptoms compatible with influenza or chicken pox.

In the elderly, higher doses of aspirin can cause abnormalities in thenormal coagulation or blood clotting mechanism.

Ironically, it is this aspect of aspirin which makes it a useful drug in preventing heart attacks and strokes. Aspirin decreases the stickiness of platelets, the particles in blood that normally initiate clotting.

When the platelets are too sticky, they cause blood clots which can block an artery. If the said artery supplies blood to the brain, the person may have a stroke. If the artery supplies the heart, blockage may result in heart attack.

Ideally, however, aspirin should be taken only on your family doctor8217;s advice. For only a doctor is in a position to decide whether the benefits of taking aspirin outweigh its risks.

Other things being normal, Dr C R Morone, a general practitioner says, quot;It is advisable to take a pain-killer than not take it at all in case of unbearable pain. Because otherwise your whole system gets affected. Your level of irritability rises, anxiety creates more acid in the body, you are likely to get cramps and your wholeroutine can get upset if you are indisposed.8221;

Alternatives

Paracetamol is an alternative analgesic. Its analgesic and antipyretic effects are similar to those of aspirin though not identical. Unlike aspirin, increasing the dose does not result in clinically useful anti-inflammatory activity.

Paracetamol is therefore not useful in chronic rheumatic diseases. Importantly, however, there are no groups of people who should not take paracetamol, and interactions with other treatments are rarely a problem. When taken at recommended dosage, there are virtually no side effects.

Nimesulide: Nimesulide is the first tissue-directed pain-killer that hit the market in 1994. The drug is the result of a pioneering bit of work by Sir John Vane of England, who won the Nobel Prize for his efforts in 1982. Nimesulide, which is available in gel and tablet form, is a compound with potent anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and analgesic properties that does not lead to gastro-intestinal problems.

Do you reallyneed them?

Picking a painkiller is easy, analysing why you need one is not. Pain may not necessarily be a symptom of a disease, it can be circumstantial. You can start by asking yourself if you have been:

Can you do without them?

So are there any alternatives to painkillers? What can you do instead? Here8217;s what: