• enki@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    There’s a VERY big difference between “pain relievers”, NSAIDs, and “pain killers” which are opioids. NSAIDs are effective and safe if used properly.

    • Zagorath@aussie.zone
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      1 year ago

      Not all pain killers fit into those two categories.

      The normal headache pill, paracetamol (most notably sold as “Panadol”), is neither NSAID nor opioid.

      • enki@lemm.ee
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        1 year ago

        Your distinction is correct, but I simply listed NSAIDs as an example, not an exhaustive list of pain relievers. You also make assumptions on “the normal headache pill” based on your locale. In the US paracetamol/acetaminophen/Tylenol is very common, but so is ibuprofen/Advil, naproxen sodium/Aleve, and aspirin/Bayer. In fact, I’d argue ibuprofen is far more popular here based on how much larger the ibuprofen section is compared to acetaminophen in pharmacies. Granted acetaminophen is a bit more common in compound OTC meds like cold and flu medicines.

        That being said, paracetamol functions extremely similarly to NSAIDs, but it’s not anti-inflammatory, and works on the nervous system only, whereas NSAIDs affect the brain and body as well.

    • nul@programming.dev
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      1 year ago

      Absolutely, the risks of addiction are monumentally different and should not be conflated. That said, my sister definitely did get addicted to Advil in her teens and had to go through withdrawal. On the other hand, I haven’t had an Advil in over ten years and in that time have only experienced a handful of headaches, each only lasting a few minutes. Chances are, I’m just very lucky. But there’s also a good chance that if I resorted to Advil before meditation and hydration, my luck would run out more frequently. YMMV.

      • enki@lemm.ee
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        1 year ago

        Just like anything, they should be used according to directions and in moderation. I rarely take them as well, but they are safe and effective when used as directed or prescribed by your doctor.