How non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs help in stress relief
Stress and pain are the bane of man’s existence. Since time immemorial, humans have been notorious for worrying and stressing over the simplest of situations. If you told your mother that you’d be back home by 5, and it turns out that you actually reached home by 5:05, chances are, your mother made calls to the Prime Minister and President asking for a search party to look for you. Not that her worries aren’t justified; I am in no way questioning the love of a mother. What I’m trying to say is, it is worrying that stress and worry have become such a regular part of our lives that we do not even question their existence. To be honest, we ourselves are responsible for the mess. So, why not take steps to curb it? Complete peace of mind may not be achievable, but what if we could relieve ourselves from a little bit of the stress? Every small bit helps, doesn’t it?

The market is ripe with stress relievers and medicines that help us achieve peace of mind. Pain relievers, specifically non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, can also do a reasonable job of getting our minds and bodies rid of all the stress and pain that they house. Over the counter pain relievers can ease our aches and help us tackle life in the most active way possible. Whether it be arthritis, cramps, muscle pulls, or mental stress, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be put to great use in hopes of achieving quick stress relief.
What do NSAIDs relieve and how?
NSAIDs are quite multipurpose in things they relieve the human body of. Simple toothaches and severe cramps can all be remedied using NSAIDs. How they work is an interesting biochemical process. Enzymes in the human body help in synthesizing chemicals that make us feel pain. Pain relievers attack this very process, by blocking the enzymes from producing chemicals, in turn making us feel less pain or no pain at all. The magnitude depends on the effectiveness of the NSAIDs on the enzymes. With those blocked, the human body feels less pain.
It has been seen that some NSAIDs relieve pain better than others. This is simply dependent on person to person. More relief from one NSAID over the other is not indicative of the drug quality. It may also happen that some drugs have fewer side effects than others, which is another important factor to consider when choosing which NSAID to go for.
When choosing dosage, it is advised to take the safest NSAID for you, the lowest dose which works for you, for the least time possible, and keep going as directed by your physician. If you feel no relief, or the pain lasts for more than 10 days, it is best to consult a medical professional. Choosing the least risky non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug solely depends on your personal health. For instance, if you have a history of blood pressure problems, or you are taking medication to reduce your blood pressure, it is probably a good idea to consult your doctor about which NSAID to take. Choosing the wrong option could end up being fatal.
The side effects of choosing NSAIDs to relieve stress and pain
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are safest when you take them in low doses for small periods of time. Side effects occur most commonly in people who continue intake of NSAIDs in relatively large doses over long periods of time. Some mild and common side effects of these drugs include stomach pain and ulcers, ringing in the ears, swelling up of the legs, allergic reactions such as wheezing or rashes, headaches, and dizziness.
Coming to stomach pains and ulcers, there is a segment of people who are more likely to suffer from these side effects than others. These include the geriatric population, those who smoke, drink three or more alcoholic drinks a day, those with a history of stomach problems, or those who are taking anti-inflammatory steroids. These persons are advised to consult their doctors before beginning any course of NSAIDs for pain or stress relief. Sometimes they may prescribe you second drugs such as acid blockers along with your OTC pain relievers. Some medications may even include these second drugs in the same pill. Since side effects like these cannot be avoided, medical professionals advise people to take NSAIDs with food whenever possible, use the smallest doses required, and refrain from using a dose a day type NSAIDs especially if one is above the age of 60.
NSAIDs may put you at risk of heart problems
Pain relievers and stress relief drugs can affect blood pressure and blood clotting in patients. Even though this is one of the rarer side effects, it must be talked about, since heart problems are no laughing matter. Usually, such side effects are noticed in people who already have symptoms of heart risk, and continued intake of NSAIDs may put them atHow non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs help in stress relief serious risk of cardiac arrests or strokes. Patients prescribed aspirin to prevent heart attacks must consult their doctors before starting intake of another NSAID to relieve pain or stress. Increased blood pressure can also be a side effect, as mentioned.
Heart risk is seen to be directly proportional to the duration for which patients take NSAIDs. The longer you continue your dosage of these drugs, the more risk you put your heart at. This risk is all the more magnified if you already have symptoms of heart problems. Also, NSAIDs can compromise blood flow to the kidneys, which may lead to problems developed over time.
What’s the final word, then?
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are great at pain and stress relief, if taken in the right doses at the right times. Taking too many of these for too long exposes you to their side effects, which could even be fatal. Keep in touch with a medical professional during the course of intake of these drugs, and always do what they advise.
