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Analgesics are a type of medicine used for pain relief.
Painkillers can be used to treat mild to moderate pain, such as headache or menstrual pain, as well as to treat more severe pain, such as pain caused by injury or serious illness.
There are two types of analgesics:
- Non-opioids (such as ibuprofen or paracetamol and ibuprofen).
- Opioids (such as morphine).
You can currently buy painkillers without a prescription on the Farmaciasdirect website.
Anti-inflammatory drugs are medicines used to prevent or reduce inflammation in the tissues of a specific part of the body. Anti-inflammatories are usually accompanied by an analgesic action, since reducing inflammation in the area also reduces pain, and anti-inflammatories also have an antipyretic function, so they can also be used to combat fever.
Anti-inflammatory drugs are divided into two groups, steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and the more common non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, popularly known as NSAIDs.
- Steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: These are known as corticosteroids, the body manufactures them naturally and corticosteroid drugs are similar to these natural hormones that help us to regulate a multitude of physiological functions of the body, including those that regulate inflammation, immune system, etc. The most commonly used corticosteroids are dexamethasone, prednisone and hydrocortisone.
Most of these, with the exception of some topical ones, must be prescribed and monitored by a doctor, as they can have a multitude of side effects of varying severity and frequency, which increase if used for too long or inappropriately.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): These are the most popular anti-inflammatory drugs, most of which can be purchased over the counter at farmaciasdirect.com, including ibuprofen, aspirin, dexketoprofen and naproxen.
NSAIDs are very popular, but one should not be overconfident, as an excess or misuse can cause ulcers and digestive problems, damage the kidneys and increase blood pressure. For this reason, although they are medicines that can be bought without a prescription, they should not be abused and the instructions should be followed.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be classified according to whether they are COX-2 cyclooxygenase enzyme inhibitors, which inhibit prostaglandin synthesis, or traditional ones.
You have 2 types of COX enzymes in your body: COX-1 and COX-2. Researchers believe that one of the jobs of COX-1 enzymes is to help protect the stomach lining. The COX-2 enzyme does not play a role in protecting your stomach.
Traditional NSAIDs prevent COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes from doing their job. When COX-1 enzymes are blocked, pain and inflammation decrease, but the protective lining of the stomach is also reduced. This can cause problems such as stomach upset, ulcers, bloating and bleeding in the stomach and intestines. Certain NSAIDs are more likely to cause some of these problems.
COX-2 inhibitors only stop COX-2 enzymes from working. The COX-2 enzyme does not help protect your stomach. Therefore, COX-2 inhibitors may be less likely to irritate the stomach or intestines.
Within the traditional or non-COX-2 selective NSAIDs we can find the following groups:
Salicylates: acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin).
Pyrazolones: metamizole (Nolotil).
Para-aminophenols: paracetamol (Dolostop).
Propionic acid: ibuprofen (Espididol).
Acetic acid: indomethacin (Inacid).
Oxycams: piroxicam (Feldene).
Anthranilic acid: meclofenamic acid (Coslan).
COX-2 inhibitors include:
Celecoxib
Meloxicam
Many of the NSAIDs can be bought without a prescription. On the Farmaciasdirect website, we can find a multitude of them. Depending on the intensity of the pain and the type of pain, we should use one or the other, always following the instructions on the leaflet and with responsibility. These anti-inflammatories can come in different presentations (tablets, creams, capsules, sachets, suppositories, solution, patches) depending on the preferences or the type of pain, one or another format is recommended.