Feature article

Pain relief medications - what are the risks and what are the benefits?

Pain relief medications and anti-inflammatories have become more easily available - supermarkets have allowed more types to be purchased directly (over-the-counter), and prescription pain relief manufacturers are also coming up with new options your doctor might prescribe. Their widespread use means safety of the available products is carefully looked at, and this means few weeks go by without the results of a study appearing in the newspaper or on TV. Usually, the concerns centre on the possible aggravation of asthma, stomach bleeding risks or cardiovascular (heart and stroke) risks. Most people use pain relief only occasionally, but others who need it constantly may have questions about safety. Our feature article this month summarises some of the types of pain relief medication and their main benefits and risks... more

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Medicines Information- Consumer Medicines Information (CMI) is useful information about your medicine and is written especially for you. CMI contains advice such as what the medicine is used for, how it should be taken, what side effects can occur, whether you can drive or drink alcohol while taking the medicine, and what to do if you miss a dose. However, CMI do not contain all the available information about the medicine. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions or concerns about taking the medicine.