Painkillers, while effective for acute pain, pose risks to kidney health when used frequently and unsupervised, particularly NSAIDs. Overreliance on pain medication for conditions like headaches can create dependency cycles, and persistent pain warrants medical consultation to diagnose underlying issues rather than solely managing symptoms.

Painkillers, while effective for acute pain, pose risks to kidney health when used frequently and unsupervised, particularly NSAIDs. Overreliance on pain medication for conditions like headaches can create dependency cycles, and persistent pain warrants medical consultation to diagnose underlying issues rather than solely managing symptoms.

Painkillers, while effective for acute pain, pose risks to kidney health when used frequently and unsupervised, particularly NSAIDs. Overreliance on pain medication for conditions like headaches can create dependency cycles, and persistent pain warrants medical consultation to diagnose underlying issues rather than solely managing symptoms.

Painkillers have become a way of life for a lot of people. If someone suffers from period pain, headache, back pain, or muscle ache, he/she will just take painkillers without realising how often he/she has been taking them. It is important to know when it is necessary to treat pain, but repeated self-medication needs to be given attention because some of the medicines people use may not allow their kidneys to function normally.

Period pain: when monthly medication becomes routine

NSAIDs such as ibuprofen and naproxen are usually used in treating menstrual cramps. These medications are helpful because they inhibit the production of prostaglandins that have a role in the occurrence of contractions in the uterus and pain. For most healthy individuals, taking medications in the recommended doses for a short time does not pose any danger. However, there are risks involved in taking medication in excess or over an extended time, whether or not someone has conditions such as kidney problems or dehydration. Someone who has been taking painkillers for the last several days during each menstrual cycle does not need to stop the medications suddenly. Instead, he or she needs to discuss the frequency of taking medication in terms of the doses and alternative methods of treatment with a physician.

Headaches can create a different problem

Individuals who suffer from chronic headaches tend to use analgesics more than once a week. In addition to adverse effects that might result from taking medication, making use of headache medication may also result in the occurrence of headaches in some individuals. This establishes a cycle where headaches lead to taking medications, and then taking medications contributes to more headaches. Repeated necessity for headache medication calls for identifying the underlying cause instead of simply increasing the number of pills taken.

Which medicines require more caution?

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are known for their adverse effects on renal blood flow in patients who are susceptible to the side effects of NSAIDs, namely ibuprofen, naproxen, and diclofenac. This risk is greater in conditions of dehydration, overdose, long-term therapy, and various medical conditions. Elderly people and patients suffering from chronic kidney disease, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and other serious disorders should use these drugs with caution. Unlike NSAIDs, paracetamol is used safely and is less likely to cause kidney injury, yet poisoning by paracetamol can be deadly because of liver failure.

The dose and the pattern matter

Using only a recommended dose from time to time is quite different from using painkillers several times daily or using them continuously for months without seeing a doctor. Moreover, it is necessary to check combination medicines, as cold, flu, and other combination drugs may contain ingredients that eliminate pain, thus making it possible to take them by mistake.

When to consult a doctor?

If the pain occurs too frequently, intensely, and increases over time, it is better to treat its causes rather than continue fighting the symptoms. Long-lasting menstrual pain may mean there is a gynaecological condition, and headaches may need additional assessment by medical staff. Symptoms sending signals from the kidney include decreased urine output, oedema, high degree of fatigue, and vomiting; however, kidney issues can also occur without symptoms.

The takeaway

Painkillers can be very effective medication if utilised correctly. The problem comes not from occasional, medically appropriate pain treatment, but instead from frequent, long-term, and unsupervised use of painkillers by patients who have some of the risk factors related to kidney disease. Therefore, it is very important to monitor how often these medications are being used and follow the prescribed daily amount while consulting with a physician in case the use of painkillers turns into a habitual routine.

The author is the Principal Director - Nephrology and Kidney Transplant, at Aakash Healthcare Multi Speciality Hospital, Dwarka.

 

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of THE WEEK.