Question about what aspirin, acetaminophen and ibuprofen do

[Bertha Venation]

If you take a pain killer like one of these and the pain goes away, is the pain killed or is it just hiding?

[Reverend_Smitty]

1. digging way back to my pharmacology class in college

essentially aspirin and ibuprofen bind to an enzyme called COX (cyclooxygenase) which inhibits the release of prostaglandins which send pain nerve impulses to the brain. So I don't know if that counts as hiding the pain or killing it, but it tries to stop your brain from receiving pain impulses

on edit:
Each one of those meds work and effect the body in different ways but produce the same result, so taking tylenol for a sprained ankle might have minimal effect on the pain but will do nothing for the inflammation

[SPKrazy]

3. it also reduces inflammation

whereas acetaminophen does just block pain impulses with no anti-inflammatory response.

[Franzia]

2. it's just hiding.

Eventually it comes back, otherwise you would only have to take it once in your life.

[Midlodemocrat]

4. Ibuprofen and naproxen are NSAIDs

Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. They reduce inflammation which can result in less pain.

Tylenol, acetaminophen kills pain, but do not take it if you have been drinking.

Aspirin kills pain along the same way that NSAIDs do, and also works as a mild blood thinner.

[FloridaJudy]

5. Who cares?

As long as it's gone!

BTW, acetaminophen can be extremely dangerous to the liver. Why the heck they insist on mixing opiates with it, instead of with an NSAID, baffles me. Neither of the other two are nearly as hazardous, though they're not totally benign drugs either. No medication is.

[Reverend_Smitty]

6. it's extremely easy to OD on acetomenophen

and death by liver failure is no picnic...but NSAIDS are harsh on the stomach, really you can't win with any of them.

stupid aches and pains... :(

[FloridaJudy]

7. If I take ibuprofen with food

It doesn't bother me at all. I guess I'm lucky that way.

Migraines/arthritis suck.

[Reverend_Smitty]

9. I won't let any of the athletes that I take care of have any Ibuprofen...

unless they promise me they will take it on a full stomach. I don't want to have to deal with any GI problems on top of their injuries because a 19 year old kid thinks he is invincible. You have to nag them like a mother sometimes to get them to follow directions

[kimmerspixelated]

10. Try a good Omega-3.

Also for Migraines, I take preventative Magnesium everyday.

[Shakespeare]

12. They blend it with acetaminophen to discourage abuse of the opiates.

And I think it's an idiotic idea. I don't WANT acetaminophen--just give me the painkiller.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

8. There's a series of compounds called prostaglandins.

When you're in pain, a complicated series of reactions and chemicals takes place that relays a signal to your brain that tells you you're in pain.

These drugs inhibit the body from producing prostaglandins, interrupting this chain and relieving pain. At least to some degree.

[northernlights]

11. so the pain is still there...

you just can't hear it falling...

[LynzM]

13. Hrm.

Define "killed" in terms of pain? Are you worried that you'll do further damage to something if you've just masked the pain?

[Bertha Venation]

14. Yes.

But also, I'm just curious about it in general. :)