William Morgan
With the majority of the American public using over-the-counter painkillers regularly, a healthcare professional has issued a warning about overusing the common medications.
These drugs aren't heavy hitters like opiates, but the little helpers that make managing common pains such as headaches, fevers, muscle pain or period pain just a smidgen easier, like acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil).
Clinical pharmacist Anum, who often shares her latest drug-related tips on TikTok, shared how many people will use these over-the-counter drugs on a daily or weekly basis, without realizing the potential damage they're doing to their body.
These non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are 'great' for treating everyday ailments and health complaints and are 'completely fine' to use in the short term, the British pharmacist explained.
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But if you are using these drugs long-term, you might need to take action.
Anum explained, per the MEN: "When you're having to rely on these medications day-to-day to do your normal day-to-day activities, that's an issue if you haven't been investigated.
"Again, if it sounds like you, speak with your [physician], so they can find out the root cause of the pain, and then you can be treated appropriately.
"Over-using these medications, you're just increasing the chances of side effects."
Grabbing the Tylenol bottle when we are feeling under the weather is a natural response for many of us, but doing this too often can seriously damage your health, permanently.
Overuse can cause severe kidney and liver damage, the FDA confirms, with the usually harmless drug metabolizing into toxic chemicals that will destroy organ function in anyone exceeding the daily 4g limit.
Signs that you have exceeded your body's capacity to process NSAIDs like paracetamol and ibuprofen can be hard to spot at first, but spotting problems early can help to prevent the worst effects of overuse.
Liver damage is not always easy to detect as it depends on whether you manifest symptoms, or take any notice of them.
Common symptoms of damage to this organ include a yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, or bruising easily.
Taking too much Advil can also cause serious organ damage, particularly impacting your kidneys and increasing your risk of sudden cardiovascular issues, including heart attack.
Common signs of an acute overuse from drugs containing ibuprofen include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and tinnitus.
But one of the biggest signs that you are overusing either of these two typically harmless medications is if you start to experience stomach issues, from cramping to developing painful ulcers.
Pharmacist Anum explained: "When taken regularly, long term, it can irritate the stomach lining, increasing the risk of things like stomach ulcers."
But if you are using these NSAID drugs long-term, you should speak to your doctor about medication to counter-balance their worst side-effects.
Anum added: "Proton pump inhibitors, so things like omeprazole or lansoprazole, help to reduce the amount of acid in the stomach, therefore protecting it when you're on these medications."