This article is one in a series on Medications for Pain…  what are your choices?  how do various medications work?  what are the pros and cons?  how about side effects?  (Discuss these ideas with your doctor.  Don’t make any changes to your treatment by yourself.)

This class of medication is called NSAIDS, Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs.  The 3 types of medication in this class are:

• Aspirin

• “Non-selective” cox inhibitors, e.g. Motrin (Ibuprophen).  (The “cox” simply relates to an enzyme in our bodies involved in inflammation.)

• “Selective” cox-2 inhibitors, e.g. Celebrex

Effect of NSAIDS:  NSAIDS block inflammation from occurring, and thus stop the pain that’s caused by inflammation.

Uses of NSAIDS:  Because NSAIDS block inflammation, they’re helpful in disorders that have inflammation, such as arthritis and some types of back pain.  They don’t help in pain disorders that don’t have inflammation, such as fibromyalgia.

Side Effects:

• Bleeding
• Stomach upset
• Asthma (in 10% of people)
• Kidney problems
• Cox-2 medications increase clotting, which can cause heart attacks and stroke.  This is why some of these medications have been taken off the market.
• Liver toxicity above recommended doses

While these medications can be helpful, don’t eat them like candy.  They’re not benign!  Many people don’t recognize this, as they’re sold over the counter, and so are assumed to be perfectly safe.

Interesting fact:  In studies, there are no differences in effectiveness between 1 medication in a class and another.  Therefore generic aspirin is just as good as Bayer.

Next Monday, we’ll review Anticonvulsants.  Other articles in this series:

• Medication 101: What Are My Options For Pain Treatment?
• Anticonvulsants
• Antidepressants
• Anesthetics
• Ketamine
• Muscle Relaxants
• Blood Pressure Medication
• Anti-Psychotics
• Narcotics (Opiates)
• Medication Advances Coming Soon
• Research Advances

Thanks to Canardo at Flickr for the photo.
 
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