People who complain of pain from an illness try medication such as ibuprofen or aspirin.
But even these can make you sick.
A doctor explains.
When pain occurs, many people turn to pain relievers such as ibuprofen, aspirin * or paracetamol.
This promises quick relief, and these drugs usually help too.
But if you take the tablets with the wrong symptoms or dose them incorrectly, you risk sometimes painful side effects.
Correct use of ibuprofen, aspirin, paracetamol & Co.
General practitioner
Doctor Wolfgang Kreischer
explains to the news portal Welt
how to take such pain relievers.
Aspirin
: According to Doctor Kreischer, it should only be taken if you suffer from pain caused by colds, for example.
Although many doctors recommend taking aspirin with vitamin C, the benefits of this combination are not clear.
Paracetamol
: Doctor Kreischer explains that the effect is almost identical to that of aspirin, but the side effects are different.
Paracetamol would also be ideal for colds.
Ibuprofen and Diclofenac
: There is nothing against taking them here either, but only at lower doses (400 mg) and over shorter periods of time.
If the pain is more severe, the doctor should be consulted.
These side effects can cause pain medication
Paracetamol, ibuprofen and diclofenac in particular can have
serious
side effects
.
In severe cases,
stomach pain
or even
stomach ulcers
and
bleeding could occur
.
The risk is particularly high if people take the medication in
higher doses
and
for longer periods of
time.
Related to the topic
: Beware of ibuprofen: This dosage doubles your risk of heart attack.
When do you have to see a doctor and when not?
According to Doctor Kreischer, the
most important rule
is that you should only use pain relievers to treat pain that you really know.
If you complain of symptoms such as headache or joint pain but you don't know what the cause is, it's
better to see your doctor
.
Otherwise there is a risk that he will overlook a disease.
A
self-treatment
is possible for colds, migraines or menstrual pain but.
If you do go to the doctor afterwards, it is important that you tell them that you have already taken medication so that they can better assess the symptoms.
In the case of self-treatment, it is generally important that it should never last longer than a few days.
Also interesting
: Stiftung Warentest is testing pain relievers: Paracetamol, ibuprofen & Co. in comparison.