1 00:00:01,920 --> 00:00:07,200 Speaker 1: Welcome to brain Stuff production of iHeartRadio, Hey brain Stuff 2 00:00:07,240 --> 00:00:11,080 Speaker 1: Lauren vocal Bomb here. The average headache or backache often 3 00:00:11,119 --> 00:00:13,840 Speaker 1: sends people reaching willy nilly for the nearest bottle of 4 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:17,040 Speaker 1: over the counter pain reliever, but for best results, it's 5 00:00:17,079 --> 00:00:20,920 Speaker 1: smart to match the particular problem with the particular pill. 6 00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:23,799 Speaker 1: That's because the wide variety of pain relievers, known in 7 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:27,840 Speaker 1: medical circles as analgesis, available today, are each effective at 8 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:31,440 Speaker 1: different problems and come with different risks. There are two 9 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:35,600 Speaker 1: categories of pain pills suitable for home use, nonsteroidal anti 10 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:39,000 Speaker 1: inflammatory drugs more commonly referred to as n SAIDs and 11 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:43,879 Speaker 1: a staminafin Both are considered antipriretics, which means that they 12 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:48,479 Speaker 1: can reduce fevers. Most people know a pseudominofin better by 13 00:00:48,479 --> 00:00:51,680 Speaker 1: the popular brand named Taylanol, but there are other brands 14 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:54,840 Speaker 1: as well, like fever All. The category of n SAIDs 15 00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:58,639 Speaker 1: is broader. Things like aspirin, hypoprofen, and a proxin all 16 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:01,959 Speaker 1: fall under the umbrella. There are others, but these three 17 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:04,480 Speaker 1: are some of the most widely used. Each has its 18 00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:08,240 Speaker 1: own range of brand named versions, so which one is 19 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:10,920 Speaker 1: best to use it all depends on what you're taking 20 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:14,960 Speaker 1: it for. Stain, often sold under the brand name Talgenol, 21 00:01:15,319 --> 00:01:18,320 Speaker 1: was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration INE, 22 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:21,920 Speaker 1: but how it works is still not clearly understood, but 23 00:01:22,120 --> 00:01:24,840 Speaker 1: we do know a bit about what it does. We 24 00:01:24,880 --> 00:01:28,360 Speaker 1: spoke via email with pharmacist Tara Thompson, doctor of pharmacy 25 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:32,520 Speaker 1: and VP of Clinical Services at Innovation Compounding. She said 26 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:36,320 Speaker 1: a stamina fin does not decrease inflammation, but works in 27 00:01:36,360 --> 00:01:39,800 Speaker 1: the hypothalamus to reduce fever, and it may work peripherally 28 00:01:39,920 --> 00:01:43,760 Speaker 1: to block the generation of pain. It's best taken to 29 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 1: reduce fever or symptoms of pain from flu like illnesses, headaches, arthritis, 30 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:51,760 Speaker 1: and menstrual cramps, but note it will only mask the 31 00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:55,640 Speaker 1: pain without treating any underlying inflammation problems that cause some 32 00:01:55,680 --> 00:01:59,200 Speaker 1: of these symptoms. You should not take a seta mena 33 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:01,800 Speaker 1: fin while consumer alcohol. It can be hard on the 34 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:04,400 Speaker 1: liver even when your stone cold, sober, and much worse 35 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:08,480 Speaker 1: when consuming alcohol. Most serious liver problems have been reported 36 00:02:08,480 --> 00:02:11,960 Speaker 1: following large doses. The highest amount that's considered safe is 37 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:14,720 Speaker 1: three thousand, two hundred and fifty milligrams per day or 38 00:02:14,919 --> 00:02:18,919 Speaker 1: ten regular strength tablets. However, there have been instances when 39 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:22,040 Speaker 1: liver damage occurs after medicating with moderate or even small 40 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:25,680 Speaker 1: doses over a long period of time. Samina fin should 41 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:29,000 Speaker 1: be taken carefully in conjunction with other medications. As many 42 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:31,760 Speaker 1: headache and cold neds like Nike will already have seen 43 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:33,919 Speaker 1: a man a fin in them. This can lead to 44 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:38,040 Speaker 1: accidental overdoses. Anyone taking one of these extras should carefully 45 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:41,919 Speaker 1: read labels and follow dosing instructions to the letter. It's 46 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:44,800 Speaker 1: considered safe enough to take by just about anyone, but 47 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:49,240 Speaker 1: occasionally side effects are experienced. Most often those are nausea, rash, 48 00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:52,440 Speaker 1: and headache, which is pretty ironic considering that that's why 49 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:55,799 Speaker 1: many people take it in the first place. So that's 50 00:02:55,800 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 1: a stamina fin. Now let's talk about ncts. These are 51 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:03,320 Speaker 1: so under brand names like Beyer, Advil, Motron, and a Leave. 52 00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:06,320 Speaker 1: You know how a stamtapin doesn't do a darn thing 53 00:03:06,360 --> 00:03:09,320 Speaker 1: to reduce inflammation well and said to pick up that 54 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:11,640 Speaker 1: dropped ball and run all the way into the end 55 00:03:11,720 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 1: zone with it short for nonsteroidal anti inflammatory drugs. The 56 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:19,359 Speaker 1: category of end SAIDs include a variety of analgesis like aspirin, 57 00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:22,120 Speaker 1: one brand name being bear I have a profen such 58 00:03:22,120 --> 00:03:25,080 Speaker 1: as ad villain, motron and an aproxin like a leave, 59 00:03:25,919 --> 00:03:29,240 Speaker 1: although there's some variation by particular type, and SAIDs in 60 00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:32,919 Speaker 1: general work by blocking the production of chemicals called prostaglandins, 61 00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 1: which encourage fever, pain and inflammation. These effects can be 62 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:39,720 Speaker 1: useful in promoting blood flow to an injured area and 63 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:42,360 Speaker 1: in telling you to watch out and not further hurt 64 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:45,960 Speaker 1: and injured area. But there's a point at which it's like, dude, body, 65 00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:48,080 Speaker 1: I know I shouldn't walk on that foot. You can 66 00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:52,160 Speaker 1: stop telling me so hard and SAIDs go out of 67 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:54,880 Speaker 1: their way to denote non steroidal in the name because 68 00:03:54,920 --> 00:03:58,440 Speaker 1: steroids can also reduce inflammation, but the way steroids work 69 00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:02,840 Speaker 1: by depressing the immune system is a major distinction. So 70 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:06,360 Speaker 1: when should you take end sids. Thompson said those with 71 00:04:06,400 --> 00:04:10,600 Speaker 1: inflammatory conditions such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, menstrual pain, or 72 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 1: muscular pain would benefit from an end said new proxyen 73 00:04:14,040 --> 00:04:16,880 Speaker 1: tends to work longer in the body, about two times longer, 74 00:04:17,240 --> 00:04:20,240 Speaker 1: so those with gout or more chronic pain conditions may 75 00:04:20,279 --> 00:04:23,080 Speaker 1: seem more pain relief from using new proxin versus iba 76 00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:27,359 Speaker 1: prove then, However, i've a proven provides quicker pain relief 77 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:29,320 Speaker 1: than to proxin and is less likely to cause an 78 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:32,640 Speaker 1: upset stomach, so might be more appropriate for strong and 79 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:37,479 Speaker 1: sudden pain have a hangover, skip the staminafin in favor 80 00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:40,480 Speaker 1: of an end set. Although nothing short of time, rest 81 00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:43,279 Speaker 1: and lots of hydration can completely cure a hangover, the 82 00:04:43,279 --> 00:04:46,159 Speaker 1: anti inflammatory properties that end sets boast are believed to 83 00:04:46,160 --> 00:04:49,680 Speaker 1: be helpful. However, taking an end set on an upset stomach, 84 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:53,000 Speaker 1: so common with hangovers, can make the discomfort worse, so 85 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:55,919 Speaker 1: don't take it on an empty stomach well ever, but 86 00:04:56,120 --> 00:05:00,640 Speaker 1: especially in the case of hangovers. Aspirin has long been 87 00:05:00,760 --> 00:05:02,839 Speaker 1: used as a daily supplement of sorts for people at 88 00:05:02,920 --> 00:05:06,159 Speaker 1: risk of heart attack and stroke because it inhibits potentially 89 00:05:06,200 --> 00:05:09,839 Speaker 1: tragic blood clotting for roughly four to seven days. One 90 00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:13,359 Speaker 1: important caveat, however, is that people consuming aspirin for that 91 00:05:13,440 --> 00:05:17,760 Speaker 1: purpose should use a lower dosage under milligrams per day 92 00:05:17,839 --> 00:05:21,520 Speaker 1: than those using it for pain relief purposes. Thompson says 93 00:05:21,560 --> 00:05:24,479 Speaker 1: that aspirin is more commonly used nowadays for inhibiting blood 94 00:05:24,480 --> 00:05:28,040 Speaker 1: clotting than for relieving pain due to intestinal bleeding. Risks, 95 00:05:28,360 --> 00:05:32,520 Speaker 1: which brings us to when not to take them. Women 96 00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:35,080 Speaker 1: who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant are typically 97 00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:37,720 Speaker 1: advised to avoid use of end SAIDs because they're believed 98 00:05:37,760 --> 00:05:41,400 Speaker 1: to cause fertility issues, early miscarriage, and even birth defects. 99 00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:43,880 Speaker 1: In particular, they should not be taken in the third 100 00:05:43,920 --> 00:05:47,159 Speaker 1: trimester because they could cause premature closure of a particular 101 00:05:47,160 --> 00:05:50,960 Speaker 1: blood vessel and a developing baby. People of gastro intestinal 102 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:54,160 Speaker 1: problems might also steer clear of end said use. Negative 103 00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:57,120 Speaker 1: gastro intestinal side effects like ulcers or intestinal bleeding can 104 00:05:57,120 --> 00:06:01,800 Speaker 1: occur because, as we said, prostaglandins aren't all bad. Preston 105 00:06:01,839 --> 00:06:04,640 Speaker 1: glanden's protect the stomach lining and help with blood clotting. 106 00:06:05,040 --> 00:06:07,640 Speaker 1: When those functions are inhibited, the risk of bleeding and 107 00:06:07,720 --> 00:06:12,120 Speaker 1: ulcers goes way up, Thompson said, although this is more 108 00:06:12,200 --> 00:06:14,640 Speaker 1: likely in those who take large doses for long periods 109 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:16,960 Speaker 1: of time. Patients often turn to a seat a mena 110 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:19,720 Speaker 1: fin from and SAIDs for pain relief since it does 111 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:23,800 Speaker 1: not cause intestinal issues. Still confused about which to take, 112 00:06:24,279 --> 00:06:26,960 Speaker 1: talk to your doctor or the pharmacist at any local pharmacy. 113 00:06:27,279 --> 00:06:29,200 Speaker 1: They'll be able to make a recommendation and point you 114 00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:37,120 Speaker 1: towards the correct product. Today's episode was written by Ali A. 115 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:39,640 Speaker 1: Hoyt and produced by Tyler Clanging. Brain Stuff is a 116 00:06:39,680 --> 00:06:42,480 Speaker 1: production of iHeart Radio's How Stuff Works from oneness and 117 00:06:42,520 --> 00:06:44,839 Speaker 1: lots of other helpful topics. Visit our home planet, how 118 00:06:44,880 --> 00:06:47,320 Speaker 1: stuff Works dot com, and for more podcasts from my 119 00:06:47,360 --> 00:06:50,040 Speaker 1: heart Radio, visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or 120 00:06:50,040 --> 00:06:51,599 Speaker 1: wherever you listen to your favorite shows.