Contents:
- Medical Video: 10 Warning Signs Your Heart Isn't Working Properly
- What are pain medications?
- Side effects of long-term pain medication use
- Painkillers cause erosion of the stomach wall
- There are certain conditions that make people more susceptible to stomach pain
Medical Video: 10 Warning Signs Your Heart Isn't Working Properly
Most people are accustomed to dealing with various complaints of pain and pain by taking painkillers that can be easily found in drugstores without requiring a doctor's prescription. However, don't consume it too often. Because, if consumed continuously and for a long period of time, this drug can have a serious impact on health. Including increasing the risk of stomach pain. Why is that? See the full explanation in this article.
What are pain medications?
Painkillers or NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) are drugs commonly used to reduce mild to moderate levels of pain, and reduce inflammation. NSAIDs are often used to treat headaches, menstrual pain, arthritis, to joint injuries. Examples of the most common NSAID drugs are paracetamol, aspirin, and ibuprofen. You can find this medicine at the nearest drug store without or with a doctor's prescription.
Pain medications work by blocking the effects of chemicals in the body that increase pain. Unlike many other painkillers, this drug also reduces swelling which can ultimately reduce pain.
Although pain medication is very useful and is widely used, it has a number of side effects that should not be underestimated if used continuously over the long term.
Side effects of long-term pain medication use
Reporting from WebMD, according to gastroenterologist Byron Cryer, MD, the most common side effect of using long-term painkillers in addition to increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke is damage to the gastrointestinal tract, which includes your esophagus, stomach and small intestine. In fact, more than half of cases of gastric bleeding are caused by long-term use of pain medication. Ulcers and bleeding can occur without warning symptoms and in some cases can end in death.
Bleeding that occurs in the stomach is a serious problem. But unfortunately, many people underestimate this condition. Some types of pain medications that increase the risk of stomach pain include ibuprofen, aspirin, indomethacin, piroxicam, ketoprofen, ketorolac, diclofenac, and so on.
Painkillers cause erosion of the stomach wall
The side effects of pain medication for gastrointestinal damage are caused by the mechanism of this drug in inhibiting enzin COX (cyclooxygenase) in the stomach. Simply put, this COX enzyme is an enzyme that is responsible for pain stimulation.
But it turns out, besides being responsible for the pain mechanism, COX enzymes are also responsible for the defense of the skin layer in the stomach. Because the inhibition of COX enzymes in the stomach from pain medication will cause erosion of the stomach wall.
As a result, the stomach becomes susceptible to irritation by stomach acid when exposed continuously. Thus, gastric bleeding can occur. If this condition continues to be left, the stomach will be hollow. In medical conditions, this condition is referred to as gastric perforation.
Gastric perforation can cause stomach contents to leak into the abdominal cavity and cause infection. Well, if the abdominal cavity is infected, it will cause peritonitis, an infection of the tissue that lines the inside of the stomach. This infection can lead to complications that make various organs in the body stop functioning. This condition includes medical emergencies and can be life threatening.
There are certain conditions that make people more susceptible to stomach pain
Anyone can get the risk of gastric pain due to taking long-term pain medications, but this risk will be higher if you:
- Have a history of stomach pain, active heartburn (pain in the lining of the stomach)
- Drink more than three glasses of alcoholic drinks every day
- Taking anti-inflammatory steroid drugs, such as prednisone
- Has kidney and liver disorders
- People with high blood pressure
- Already more than 60 years old
- Smoke
If you have one of the conditions above, you should tell your doctor or pharmacist before using painkillers for your treatment.
Make sure you follow your doctor's advice and advice, remember that painkillers have many benefits as well as have a variety of potential side effects, especially if used long-term and in people who have a higher risk.
