Pain killers, also called analgesics, help reduce fever and pain caused by headaches, muscles aches and stiffness, sciatica, arthritis pain and other common aches and pain. There are many choices when looking for pain killers, and each person may respond to a pain killer slight differently. Acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, are the two most widely used over-the-counter pain killers.
Acetaminophen
Acetaminophen is a part of the class of drugs, known as analgesics or pain relievers and antipyretics or fever reducers, used for mild to moderate pain relief with or without fever. It is also effective in relieving pain due to osteoarthritis, a painful type of arthritis, occurring from the degeneration of the cartilage that surrounds the joint spaces. Acetaminophen works on the pain receptors of the body to raise your pain threshold and to cool the body temperature if a fever is present, explains the MedlinePlus.
Aspirin
Aspirin is a nonsteroidal painkiller belonging to the salicylates class of drugs. It is a mainstay of the management of mild to moderate pain, fever and inflammation. Aspirin has a mild anti-coagulating property, so it sometimes is also used to lessen the chance of heart attack, strokes and angina, notes Drugs.com. It suppresses the production of prostaglandin, an unsaturated cyclic fatty acid that induces inflammation, pain and fever, by blocking the action of an enzyme called cyclooxygenase. As a result, inflammation, pain and fever are reduced.
Naproxen
Naproxen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agent with analgesic and antipyretic properties. It is prescribed for the relief of pain due to arthritis and gout as well as to reduce fever and suppress vascular headache. In cancer patients, the persistent bone pain associated with metastatic cancer appears to be mediated by naproxen, according to the National Cancer Institute. Like any other NSAIDs, naproxen works by inhibiting the body from producing hormones, usually prostaglandins, which cause pain and inflammation.
