APPENDICES: PAIN-KILLERS
(Trade names are not given in this section, as the common pain-killers are used in a great number of different preparations. The ingredients are shown on the packet for those bought without a prescription.)
These are drugs that can block pain sensations. Our main interest in them is in connection with headache and migraine.
Aspirin and other salicylates (see Section 7A) reduce pain and damp down inflammation. They also have some effects on the blood platelets, and this may help to abort a migraine attack. Regular, prolonged use of salicylates can irritate the stomach lining and have other adverse effects, so this should be avoided. Paracetamol reduces pain but has very little anti-inflammatory effect. It has no ill-effects on the stomach, and as long as the maximum dose is strictly observed it is a very safe drug. However, it should not be taken long-term at the maximum dosage, nor should it be taken by anyone who has kidney or liver disease. There are rare instances of paracetamol causing skin rashes.
Codeine is a very mild opiate (a morphinelike drug) used in some migraine preparations. It is a fairly safe drug.
Caffeine is added to some pain-killers to speed up absorption and improve the effectiveness of the drug. Caffeine can also produce headaches, so heavy use of this type of pain-killer is not advisable.
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