Choosing the Right OTC Pain Reliever

By Charles Vega, MD –

Imagine this scenario: you lift up your grandchild at the playground, and suddenly you feel a stabbing pain in your back. When you get home, you look for some kind of pain reliever in your medicine cabinet.

Do you carefully consider your choice of over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers? Most adults do not, and that is a problem. In fact, the wrong choice could result in serious harm to your health!

We need to make better, more informed choices when it comes to selecting OTC pain relievers. This is particularly important for adults over the age of 60, who may have an increased risk of adverse side effects like stomach bleeding when using OTCs containing ibuprofen and naproxen sodium. Additionally, using pain relievers such as ibuprofen or naproxen sodium for longer than directed, or taking more than directed, can increase your risk of heart attack and stroke, conditions that are of particular importance for those over 60 to keep in mind.

Despite these critical considerations, a new national survey from the U.S. Pain Foundation found that 73 percent of people at age 60 and over are not bearing their age in mind when choosing an OTC pain reliever. While OTC pain relievers are safe and effective when used appropriately, they are still medicines and require careful consideration of things like age, current medical conditions and other medicines you are taking.

It’s easy to reach for the first OTC you see on your shelf, but not every OTC pain reliever is appropriate for everyone. I always tell my patients to keep in mind what I like to call your personal health profile, which includes your age, your pre-existing health conditions like cardiovascular disease, and other medications you’re taking. These factors are crucial in selecting which OTC pain reliever is most appropriate for you. For example, if you have certain stomach conditions, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may increase the risk of stomach bleeding.

To help guide my patients in choosing which OTC is appropriate for them, I tell them to follow these five tips for choosing and using OTC pain relievers:

1. Consider your health profile (including pre-existing health conditions, age, or other medicines) before you select an OTC pain reliever. Having a list of your chronic medical conditions and current medications is always helpful.

2. Always read and follow the Drug Facts label — whether it’s the first time or the 100th time. No matter how many times we’ve looked at them, Drug Facts labels change, and so does our health.

3. Stick to the recommended dose and keep track of other medicines you are taking and how they might interact. Remember, taking more than is recommended does not mean your pain will go away more quickly. If you’re concerned about how your medicines might interact, call your healthcare provider or talk to the pharmacist.

4. Know the active ingredient in your medicine and be sure to take only one medicine that contains the same type of active ingredient at a time. This will prevent what we call double-dosing, or accidentally taking more than the recommended amount of an active ingredient.

5. Avoid taking OTC pain relievers longer than directed on the label unless told to do so by your healthcare provider.

For more information and resources, you can visit www.GetReliefResponsibly.com.

Dr. Charles Vega is a family physician in California, where he created a patient-centered medical education program at the UC Irvine School of Medicine. He has partnered with McNeil Consumer Healthcare for this initiative.