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Safely Taking Over-the-Counter Pain Medications. By Our February Student Pharmacist, Nicholas Schroeder.

Some medications are available over-the-counter (OTC) to buy and for all individuals to take. These same medications can cause great harm in some individuals with certain illnesses. They can also cause harm to anyone if taken in too large of a dose or too often. We are here to help you make sure the medications you have in your cabinet are not going to cause you any harm.

Times that over-the-counter medication use are appropriate include, but are not limited to:

  • Mild to moderate pain which you have had before.
  • After speaking with a physician about a diagnosed issue.
  • Symptoms that have not been ongoing for more than seven days.

Speak with the pharmacist if you have any concerns about which product would be best for you.

Many individuals have chronic pain that may or may not be diagnosed, but can be treated. We want to make sure patients do not use too many pain medications together for their pains as this can be harmful. Bringing up these pains to the doctor when going in for a visit is always a good idea. The doctor can prescribe a medication or, at least, recommend something over-the-counter. In addition to pain medications, non-pharmaceutical ways to relieve pain, such as stretches and light exercise, should always be practiced.

Today we will go over the most common over-the-counter pain medications and some things to watch out for when taking each of these.

  • Acetaminophen (Tylenol)– Keep daily use under 4000 mg. Make sure your other medications do not have hidden acetaminophen in them, as well, since large amounts can harm your liver. Individuals who have been diagnosed with liver issues or who heavily drink alcohol should not take this medication.
  • Ibuprofen (Advil)– Maximum over-the-counter daily dose is 1200 mg (6 tablets). If pain is not resolved by this dose, see your doctor to approve a prescription for the higher doses. Too high of a dose of ibuprofen can lead to stomach pain and ulcers. You can tell if you have an ulcer by the occurrence of black or tarry stools associated with stomach pain. Ulcers can lead to more serious issues, so speak with your doctor if you experience these symptoms.
  • Naproxen (Aleve)– Maximum dose is 660 mg (3 tablets). Naproxen is very similar to ibuprofen, but is advertised as better because it only needs to be taken once or twice daily as compared to ibuprofen which needs to be taken four to six times daily. Taking higher than the maximum dose can also lead to stomach pain and ulcers if the dose is too high for too long.
  • Aspirin– Maximum daily dose is 4000 mg. As pharmacists, we try to stay away from aspirin as it can cause increased bleeding risk, kidney injury, and stomach issues/heartburn if used in excess. Other medications have shown better results with fewer side effects.

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You may be saying to yourself, what about joint pain that is not taken care of by these medicines we have spoken about? Sometimes topical pain relievers such as creams, ointments, gels, or sprays are used to help with these kinds of pain.

Here are some tips when using topical pain relievers:

  • Do not use these on areas or joints which you use a brace on or wrap with warm compresses, as this will cause increased absorption and can cause blistering.
  • Wash your hands before and after applying medication.
  • Take warming patches off before sleep.

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So you have not had pain for a while at this point and have expired pain medications from your previous issue.

What should you do with these medications?

When prescriptions have expired or are no longer needed many people are unsure what to do with them. Here is how to handle that.

  • Local hospitals/some pharmacies will hold drug take back days to make sure drugs are off the streets.
  • Some firehouses or police stations will have drug drop off boxes where you can take your unused medications.
  • If you have no other way to get rid of medications, you can crush them up and put them in an undesirable medium such as coffee grounds or kitty litter.

Finally, whom should you call if you feel you have overdosed on these pain medications?

  • Call your pharmacy or doctor if you have taken an extra dose of your medication by accident.
  • Call poison control (800-222-1222) if you have taken more than one extra dose of your medication by accident and are not feeling right.

References:

  • Pain Management Over-The-Counter. Medicinenet.com Accessed January 9, 2017.
  • Lexicomp.com Accessed January 9, 2017.
  • Lexicomp.com Accessed January 9, 2017.
  • Lexicomp.com Accessed January 9, 2017.
  • Lexicomp.com Accessed January 9, 2017.
  • How to Dispose of Unused Medicines. fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm101653.htm. Accessed January 9, 2017.

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