Why are so many people in dire need of pain relief unable to access the powerful painkillers that are so commonly prescribed in the United States?
A man injects himself with heroin using a needle obtained from the People’s Harm Reduction Alliance, the nation’s largest needle-exchange program, in Seattle, Washington.
David Ryder/Reuters
Why have the demographics of heroin use changed so much? For that, we can look to dramatic increase in prescriptions for opioid painkillers, such as Oxycontin or Vicodin.
NRL players Aaron Gray and Dylan Walker suffered a life-threatening reaction to a combination of controlled drugs.
AAP/David Moir
The use of prescription-only painkillers by athletes is hardly new, but debate about their (ab)use in Australia has recently been brought into focus by the emergency hospitalisation of South Sydney NRL…
There is little hard data on whether taking ibuprofen with food prevents gastric damage.
Jodi Green/Flickr
It’s long been thought anti-inflammatory painkillers need to be taken with food to protect the stomach. But a handbook for doctors has recently moved away from this advice.
Codeine-containing painkillers may soon no longer be available over the counter in Australian pharmacies.
Philippa Willitts/Flickr
Australia’s drug regulator is looking into reclassifying codeine-based drugs as prescription-only. This is a good idea because the easy availability of these pinkillers is causing substantial harm.
Recent research suggests that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may help prevent certain skin cancers.
Nicolas Lannuzel/Flickr
Reema Rattan, The Conversation and Nicki Russell, The Conversation
Common over-the-counter painkillers, such as ibuprofen and aspirin, can decrease risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma, according to a study published today in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology…
Chronic pain, defined as disabling pain that persists despite attempts at treatment and often without obvious cause, has become a serious challenge for health professionals. It is not surprising that someone…
Only around 10% of the codeine dose will give you analgesia, but 100% of it will give you side effects.
Andrzej Wilusz
Commonly used over-the-counter painkillers such as paracetamol, aspirin and ibuprofen will usually be strong enough to alleviate common aches and pains. But if you’re suffering from acute pain from dental…
Taking the pain – or a bout of man-flu?
Painkillers by Shutterstock
It’s a commonly held belief that women are better able to tolerate pain than men. The reasoning behind this is often that women are built to withstand pain because of how frequently they experience pain…
Choose your over-the-counter painkiller based on the side effects you want to avoid.
Image from shutterstock.com
If you’re anything like me, your medicine cupboard is chockers with various non-prescription pain remedies: liquids, pills, capsules, children’s painkillers, formulations that are “gentle on the stomach…
There are some effective ways to balance the harms of opioids with its benefits.
strollerdos/Flickr
The use of opioid medication in Australia has grown considerably in the past 20 years, and so have related harms. This increase in use is primarily for chronic pain conditions, now the most common reason…
A visit to the pharmacy for pain relief can be complicated. As consumers, we are faced with a bewildering choice of pain relief options. But why? Within the Nurofen range we have Nurofen for back pain…
Prescriptions for pain relief are easy to get in the UK but not if you live in certain countries.
PA/Julien Behal
Ten percent of the world consumes 90% of the morphine. At first glance that’s just another statistic about haves and have nots. But it’s more stark than that - particularly if you have cancer in a country…
Voltaren remains a popular painkiller in Australia, despite known health risks.
Alison Young
Charis Palmer, The Conversation and Georgina Scambler, The Conversation
The painkiller diclofenac, sold as Voltaren, should be pulled from the market, argue researchers from the UK and Canada, after finding it remains popular despite known cardiovascular risks. Scientists…
Any restriction on buying painkillers needs to be consistent with national privacy protection.
Nils Geylen
Earlier this week the ABC reported that a handful of pharmacists in Tasmania had engaged in community policing. They’re tracking the purchase of codeine-based painkillers, sharing information with their…
The side effects of morphine could eventually be eliminated.
Flickr/Andres Rueda
Australian and American scientists have found a way to halt a reaction in the brain that causes the side effects of morphine, potentially laying the groundwork for more effective therapeutic drugs. The…
Voltaren is commonly used by arthritis sufferers for pain relief but it’s been found to harm heart health.
e b e cd z/Flickr
Causing constant pain from inflammation of the joints, arthritis is common and debilitating, especially in older people. Adding to the woes of arthritis sufferers, a recent study has highlighted that commonly…