Over-the-counter pain relievers
“We’ve all battled some sort of backache, headache, or knee pain in our lives and most of us simply pop a few over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers to ease the discomfort we’re feeling,” says Dr. Vernon Williams, MD, a sports neurologist and the director of the Center for Sports Neurology and Pain Medicine at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in L.A.
Taking OTC pain relievers seems harmless—they’re sold at your local pharmacy, after all—but Williams says he’s observed a concerning trend among people who think that taking a variety of OTC pain relievers is a safe, effective way to quickly alleviate what ails them.
He emphasizes the importance of reading the full Drug Facts label on an OTC pain medicine before taking it, consulting with your doctor if you’re regularly taking OTCs, educating yourself about the risks of mixing OTC pain medicines, and recognizing the symptoms of an OTC overdose.
