Come to think of it, every time we open a newspaper we always read about another danger from a popular pain reliever. Are there any safe options left to relieve our aches and pains? This must be the question that we are always asking every time we read about this argument.
Basically, the most widely used pain and anti-inflammatory medications are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which include popular brands like Motrin and Aleve and the various brands of aspirin. There was much excitement when COX-2-selective NSAIDs were introduced about 7 years ago, because they were associated with less gastrointestinal bleeding, the most dangerous side effect of aspirin and some of the other NSAIDs.
Considering these problems with NSAIDs have led many doctors to prescribe acetaminophen (Tylenol) as the drug of choice for pain. However, acetaminophen does not counter the inflammation of joint pain caused by disorders like rheumatoid arthritis. Study found out also that taking maximum dose of acetaminophen will developed significant, but temporary, elevations in blood levels of a liver enzyme indicating liver damage. Does this finding mean that we should also be wary of taking acetaminophen, right? Well, I think not. Acetaminophen clearly has a remarkable safety record when taken as directed, the study linking liver damage and high daily doses of the drug and chronic treatment with 4 g daily has been confirmed to be safe.
Despite the results of this study and the accompanying frightening news stories, acetaminophen remains the safest, albeit least potent, drug for the treatment of pain.
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