Does Inflammation Cause Everything?
Answering your questions about drugstore remedies and inflammation
Time for a Q&A to answer your questions about:
How can I best use drugstore remedies?
What is inflammation and why does it seem to cause everything?
Enjoy! And remember, please submit any question you’d like answered here.
Q: It seems impractical to bother my doctor about every little thing. What are some drugstore relief items that are safe to try when my symptoms are bothersome, but don’t warrant a trip to the emergency room or even urgent care?
—Anonymous
A: If you are experiencing an emergency there is no substitute for seeking medical care. But as I have previous written, many symptoms are not emergent or even urgent, but they are uncomfortable. Many people assume that over-the-counter remedies must be safe, but there are some things to be aware of when putting certain products to use.
Pain medications are probably the drugstore remedies people use most often. They are great for treating temporary aches and pains, headache, and fever. Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and acetaminophen (Tylenol) are the two you are most likely to know. Ibuprofen can be especially good at reducing inflammation causing routine aches and pains. Acetaminophen is great for arthritis. Both are effective fever reducers.
Neither should be used for more than a few days without consulting your doctor. Taking too much ibuprofen can cause stomach pain, heartburn, and even ulcers. It can also cause kidney injury. Tylenol can cause liver failure if you take too much even for a short time.
Allergy medications are another commonly employed drugstore offering. Hot pink diphenhydramine (Benadryl) tablets are the classic, but they can make you sleepy. Plus, people over the age of 65 should avoid diphenhydramine because it can cause cognitive impairment, delirium, dizziness, and falls in this age group. Most second-generation antihistamines like loratadine (Claritin) and cetirizine (Zyrtec) are excellent options for managing seasonal allergies.
Other drugstore remedies to consider include antacids and acid blockers. Both calcium carbonate (TUMS) and famotidine (Pepcid) can be a great way to manage occasional heartburn. At the other end of the spectrum stool softeners like polyethylene glycol (MiraLAX) can be a great non habit-forming way to tackle constipation.
The key to using all drugstore remedies is to follow the instructions carefully. Use them only for a few days. If your symptoms persist it’s time to see your doctor even if over-the-counter medications are effective. And pay attention to how they affect your symptoms. Knowing that your issue responded to ibuprofen or TUMs will help your doctor understand your symptoms better if you do need to seek care.
The Savvy Short: Drugstore medications like ibuprofen, acetaminophen, allergy medications, antacids and stool softeners can be excellent tools for managing mild symptoms temporarily. Always follow the directions closely and consult your doctor if new symptoms last more than a few days.
Q: It seems like every other article about health mentions inflammation and how GLP-1s can fix it. Is every health problem caused by inflammation? And what exactly is inflammation?
—Healthy Skeptic
