Q: I never know which type of over-the-counter pain medication to use for different types of pain, like headaches, sprained ankles or sore muscles. Which works best for these unique situations?
When you have various aches and pains, it can be challenging to decide which over-the-counter pain reliever is best matched for your affliction — Advil, Aleve, Tylenol, Motrin?
The choice, experts say, really comes down to just two classes of medication: acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (or NSAIDs).
Each addresses pain in its own way, said Mary Lynn McPherson, a professor at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy. And not all types of pain respond equally well to both, she added.
Here’s how to tell what types of pain these drugs are most effective at relieving, and how to use them safely.
How They Work
NSAIDs, which include ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve) and aspirin (Bayer), help relieve pain by rushing to sites of inflammation throughout the body, said Dr. Katherin Peperzak, medical director of the Center for Pain Relief at the University of Washington Medical Center.