Got pain? What works best.

[ski diva]

I stumbled upon an interesting article in Health magazine on pain relief medications. And with ski season upon us, I thought it might be worthwhile to sum it up here (please note that this is not a recommendation on what you should take; you should see your doctor -- or use your own judgement -- for that):

Workout aches: acetaminophen. For relieving delayed-onset muscle soreness from working out, mild arthritis pain and stiffness, headaches, and mild to moderate joint and back pain.

Painful periods: ibuprofren. It’s also good for pain caused by acute inflammation from muscle sprains, tendonitis, and bursitis, and for irritation and redness from cuts and bruises. Experts say it’s a good choice for injuries where there’s swelling.

Killer headaches: caffeine combos such as Excedrin and Anacin.

Long lasting relief: Naproxen sodium.

Arthritis: Etodolac (by prescription)

There's a lot more in the article: who shouldn't take what, what to look out for, etc. But if you want to read it in full, go here.

 

[dburdenbates]

This is good stuff!

I typically like topical treatments like Tiger Balm for muscle soreness. But one thing I learned from experience is to NEVER put it on before going out in cold weather. Ouch!

 

[dburdenbates]

Workout aches: acetaminophen. For relieving delayed-onset muscle soreness from working out, mild arthritis pain and stiffness, headaches, and mild to moderate joint and back pain.

Recent studies are showing that NSAIDs (especially ibuprofen and acetaminophen) interfere with Cyclooxygenase (COX) activity necessary for muscle growth in response to weight training. So, if your soreness is related to weight training and you are trying to build muscle, you might want to stay away from NSAIDs for pain relief and use a topical analgesic instead.