Did you know that there are several types of painkillers on the market? Check how to use them correctly!

When buying popular painkillers, we often do not pay attention to their type, and we buy them out of habit or lack of choice. However, it is extremely important, especially for women, to choose the right painkillers. They are divided into a few types, in which there are other active substances that affect our body in a different way.

Not every cure for everything

Analgesics should also be selected with the site of pain relief in mind. When experiencing menstrual pain, you should use a completely different type of medication than when experiencing, for example, muscle pain during an illness.

When to use drugs at all?

When something hurts naturally, we immediately reach for painkillers, sometimes without even thinking about the type of pain we feel and its cause. However, it is important to remember that pain is caused to let us know about the state of our body. With any persistent pain, see a doctor.

How do common painkillers work?

The mechanism of action of painkillers on our body is virtually identical. They are designed to block the conduction of nerve impulses between the sick, or simply the painful place, and our brain. So they do not act on the cause, but as a result – they cause that we do not feel pain even though it is “there”.

What are the main types of painkillers?

1. Paracetamol: first of all, paracetamol is very often found in painkillers. Medicines with this substance are recommended for women with pain problems during menstruation. It is not recommended to use drugs based on acetylsalicylic acid (e.g. Aspirin). Why? Because this drug makes the bleeding even worse! So it can stop the pain for a while, but in the long run it only makes the pain worse. Paracetamol is also recommended for people with stomach problems and toothache. 
2. NSAIDs: are any non-steroidal and anti-inflammatory drugs that also have an antipyretic effect. However, they are worse tolerated by the stomach and liver. These drugs include the popular aspirin – it copes well with all infections, colds and flu, but worse if we use it only to eliminate nuisance pain.
3. Opioids: these are the strongest painkillers that can only be obtained on prescription with the consent of a doctor or while staying in the hospital. They are not available in stores and drugstores. The best-known analgesic of this type is morphine or methadone, available in pharmacies with a prescription.