Taking a pill for every ache and pain is becoming the norm with people. Whether you have a post-busy- day-at-work headache or a workout pain or discomfort, you are probably going to reach for that painkiller, such as ibuprofen, for example.
We all know the side-effects of drugs, but little are we aware that if used long-term, they can be poisonous or even have life-threatening consequences. Here are some of the effects that can be the result of prolonged painkiller use.
Unknowingly Spreading The Flu
The common cold is one of the main reasons why people reach for over-the-counter medication. It turns out, however, that curbing flu symptoms with drugs has the hidden effect of involuntarily spreading viruses to others.
Research shows that the use of painkillers can promote flu transmission by 5 to 10 {c3c41ac5bcd162d403a43932431eb803ff3be94ca7b5343348fa75c22956a67f}.
Bad Headache
People who take painkillers like aspirin, paracetamol, and other anti-inflammatory drugs for more than two weeks per month, are often the victims of medication overuse. This leads to a drop in drug efficiency with time and patients end up with worsened symptoms, such as headache, aggravated by the developed drug tolerance (Find out more at Addictions.com).
Symptoms might increase, leading to severe headaches, as time progresses.
An Increased Risk of Stroke and Heart Attack
Results from a Danish study showed an increased risk of early death due to ibuprofen use by heart attack survivors.
Medications taken within a year of the heart incident were as much as 60 per cent more likely to cause patient death due to complications, related to pain relief treatment.
You Get Prone To Depression
Depression is usually associated with chronic stress and experiencing a prolonged feeling of sadness
or grief. It is really difficult to imagine that something as innocent as your headache fix might be the underlying cause behind your depression.
Research however shows that long-term users of pain relief pills of the opioid analgesics type might be suffering drug-induced depression or be at a higher risk of developing the state. Symptoms onset could show as soon as 3 months after the first application.
They Lead to Addiction
Drug abuse is a worldwide issue of enormous proportions. Painkiller addiction is an alarming trend, which seems to be on the rise, especially among young people, such as teenagers. It can lead to death and other grave consequences.
Doctors also admit that it is among the most difficult to treat.
Kidney Damage
Any substance that happens to get in your blood stream is consequently filtered from the kidneys prior to elimination. During the filtration process, a drug could either obstruct blood flow to the kidneys, cause an allergic reaction, or directly damage nephron cells.
It has been reported that as many as 20{c3c41ac5bcd162d403a43932431eb803ff3be94ca7b5343348fa75c22956a67f} of all cases of acute kidney failure came as a result of painkiller abuse.
The only way to prevent the harm we could suffer from pain relievers, is by using them wisely, and only when we have a valid reason to do so. Treatment should be physician approved and short-term.