Do you take too many painkillers?
You don't really think about it do you? But you feel some pain and you take a painkiller to help relieve the symptoms. But when are you taking too many of them?
From headache to ankle strain to PMS, pain is experienced by all ages and by many causes but a survey has revealed that almost one in three of 18-24 year olds take pain medication on a daily basis.
32 per cent also said that they would take a painkiller within 20 minutes or less when experiencing pain. This alarming statistic highlights the reliance that modern society has on medicated pain relief instead of a natural alternative or waiting to see if the pain subsides.
The survey by topical analgesic Tiger Balm, also revealed that the highest cause of pain such as headache is caused by stress and anxiety. This may be explained by the 41 per cent of the same group believing that their generation experiences the most stress.
In addition when asked how they understood painkillers to work 40% of under 25’s believed that they only ‘mask’ the pain rather than tackle it directly.
Taking medicated pain killers may sometimes lead to uncomfortable side effects such as stomach problems, addiction, dizziness and interference with other medication. With this in mind, natural products can offer an alternative solution to dealing with mild pain.
Dr Sarah Brewer, GP, who has a special interest in nutritional and natural health: “Natural remedies are becoming an increasingly popular option, as these results demonstrate. People are becoming more aware of the alternatives that can be used to treat common ailments and that prove effective and affordable. For those on conflicting medications and those looking to avoid the side effects of prescription medicines, a natural alternative can offer new hope.
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