How do I Choose the Best over-The-Counter Pain Reliever?

Choosing the right over-the-counter pain reliever to deal with some type of minor ache or pain is a task that just about everyone faces from time to time. The process is a little more involved than simply selecting the first product that catches the eye. In order to find the best over-the-counter pain reliever for your situation, it is important to take into consideration the type of discomfort involved, possible adverse interactions with any prescription medication that is currently being used, and any side effects that may occur due to allergies or similar factors.

The first step in choosing the right over-the-counter pain reliever is to determine the nature of the pain itself. Muscle aches may be better served with the use of some type of topical reliever than taking something internally, depending on where the ache is taking place. At the same time, taking a pain reliever that is in the form of a capsule or tablet may be the better option if the pain is the result of a headache brought on by stress. Understanding the nature of the pain will make it easier to narrow down the choices of over-the-counter or OTC pain relievers and focus on the ones that are formulated to help with your particular complaint.

Once you’ve identified the types of pain relievers that are most likely to provide relief for your particular ache or pain, the next step is to consider the possibility of interaction with any of your prescription medications, or even other OTC products normally taken. Many people forget to do this, sometimes with unfortunate results. For instance, taking aspirin for a headache may not be the best idea if the individual is already taking a prescription medication that thins the blood. In like manner, people taking certain types of antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications will want to avoid some over-the-counter pain reliever products that contain ingredients that could either counteract or magnify the effects of those prescription drugs. Always be aware of possible drug interactions before taking any type of OTC pain reliever.

Take into account any allergies you may have before choosing any over-the-counter pain reliever. The idea is to alleviate pain, not cause additional distress. If you are aware that a certain OTC pain reliever causes you to break out in an itchy skin rash or produces some other uncomfortable physical side effect, do not use it. With the wide range of OTC pain relievers on the market today, it is relatively simple to find something that will ease the pain, but not trigger a whole range of other issues that result in additional discomfort.