Painkillers are among the most commonly used medicines in the world. Millions of people take them every day to ease headaches, muscle pain, joint problems, arthritis, back pain, and long-term health conditions.
For many people, these drugs can greatly improve daily life by reducing pain and helping them stay active.
Because many painkillers are easy to buy in supermarkets and pharmacies without a prescription, people often assume they are very safe.
However, new research is raising concerns that some commonly used pain medicines may carry serious health risks, especially when taken for long periods or by people who already have other medical problems.
One important group of painkillers is called NSAIDs, which stands for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. These medicines help reduce pain, swelling, and inflammation. Some of the best-known NSAIDs include ibuprofen, naproxen, and diclofenac.
Doctors have used these medicines for decades, and they can be very effective for short-term pain relief. But scientists are becoming increasingly worried about how these drugs may affect the heart, kidneys, and other parts of the body.
Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham recently studied an NSAID called carprofen. In their research, they examined how the drug affected animals with heart disease. The scientists discovered that carprofen caused mild inflammation in both the heart and the kidneys.
The problem became even more serious when the animals experienced a heart attack. The inflammation increased and the damage became worse. These findings suggest that NSAIDs may place extra stress on the body in people who already have heart problems.
The researchers warned that while these medicines can reduce pain, they may also increase health risks for vulnerable patients. Their findings were published in the journal Life Sciences.
Another major study from Denmark found more concerning results. Danish researchers examined health records from more than 6 million adults to investigate the safety of diclofenac, one of the most widely used NSAIDs in many countries.
The scientists found that people who started taking diclofenac had a higher risk of serious heart problems within only one month. These problems included heart attacks, strokes, irregular heartbeats, and other cardiovascular complications.
What surprised researchers most was that the risk linked to diclofenac was even higher than the risk linked to other NSAIDs such as ibuprofen and naproxen. It was also higher than the risk linked to paracetamol, which is known as acetaminophen in some countries.
The study suggested that diclofenac may be especially risky for people with existing heart disease or even mild heart concerns. The findings were published in The BMJ, one of the world’s leading medical journals.
But NSAIDs are not the only pain medicines causing concern.
Doctors also commonly prescribe other drugs for long-lasting pain, nerve pain, and conditions such as fibromyalgia or chronic back pain. These include opioid medicines as well as drugs called gabapentinoids, such as gabapentin and pregabalin.
These medicines can help people manage severe pain, but researchers are finding that they may also affect daily health in unexpected ways.
Scientists at Newcastle University in the United Kingdom studied health information from more than 133,000 participants in the UK Biobank project. They discovered that people taking opioids or gabapentinoids were more likely to be overweight and to experience poor sleep.
The researchers believe there are several possible reasons for this connection. Some of these medicines work like sedatives, meaning they can make people feel sleepy, tired, or less energetic. As a result, people may become less physically active over time.
The drugs may also affect appetite and eating behavior. Some people taking these medicines report stronger cravings for sugary foods or changes in taste that encourage unhealthy eating habits. Over time, this can contribute to weight gain and other health problems.
Poor sleep may also become part of the cycle. Although some pain medicines make people feel sleepy, they do not always improve sleep quality. In some cases, they may actually disrupt normal sleep patterns, leaving people feeling tired during the day.
The findings from the Newcastle University study were published in the journal PLOS ONE.
Taken together, these studies paint a more complicated picture of painkillers than many people expect. While these medicines can provide important relief, they may also carry hidden risks involving the heart, kidneys, sleep, weight, and overall long-term health.
The risks may be especially important for older adults and for people who already have conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity, or kidney problems.
Health experts say this does not mean people should suddenly stop taking pain medicine. Instead, the studies highlight the importance of using these drugs carefully and under proper medical guidance.
For short-term pain, using the lowest effective dose for the shortest possible time is often considered the safest approach. For chronic pain that lasts months or years, doctors may recommend combining medicine with other treatments to reduce risks.
Alternative approaches such as physical therapy, gentle exercise, stretching, mindfulness, weight management, heat therapy, or counseling may help some people manage pain with fewer side effects.
Regular medical checkups are also important for people who use pain medicines long-term. Monitoring blood pressure, kidney function, heart health, weight, and sleep can help doctors detect problems early before they become more serious.
Researchers hope these findings will encourage both doctors and patients to think more carefully about pain treatment choices. Pain relief is important, but experts say people should also consider the long-term effects of the medicines they use.
In the end, managing pain safely often means finding a balance between improving comfort today and protecting health in the future.
If you care about pain, please read studies about vitamin K deficiency linked to hip fractures in old people, and these vitamins could help reduce bone fracture risk.
For more health information, please see recent studies that Krill oil could improve muscle health in older people, and eating yogurt linked to lower frailty in older people.
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