Is Paracetamol and Aspirin Bad for Our Health?
Mohammad Nashir
Introduction
This article will explore if Paracetamol and Aspirin are bad for our health? The reason I am writing this is because doctors and GP's and even health professionals have requested I take pain killers, some of course have other medications they take, like me I take other medications, so pain killers seem the wrong thing to take, after all taking more is not often better. So, this article will explore for those who have the worry at the back of their head if Paracetamol and Aspirin (pain killers) are bad for our health?
Oh and currently I am very unwell and once I pushed the doctors to not take pain relief I was given another medication (cream - not so much medication) which seemed to directly remove the pain I had. This was miles better and did not include severe side affects and dependency which some pain killers cause and they did not prolong the pain, it directly treated it. So; problem solved, but was it, the question I have and many of you might have will be answered in this article.
Context
# Introduction
# Reported statistics of how much pain killers are prescribed - Body
# Narcotics and Opium's relation to Pain Killers - Body
# Enslaved to Pain Killers - Gays and Lesbians - Body
# Aspirin's range of efficiency - Body
# Children and Aspirin - Body
# Opiates and Pain Killers - Body
# Conclusion
Body
The e-book 'The Healthy Guide to Unhealthy Living' [Page 160] states "the pharmacy where he'd been filling his prescriptions told us he'd given that line to six different doctors in the area, and had attempted to fill no less than twenty prescriptions for painkillers".
Continued "Doctors usually prescribe narcotics, derivatives of the opium poppy, to treat pain. Opium is the base that gives us morphine and heroine (in its most potent form)".
Another point continued and very significant [Page 161] "Unfortunately, opioid receptors, unlike marijuana receptors, are located in the brainstem. Too many narcotic pain killers can cause respiratory depression and death".
As we can see here pain killers (paracetamol and aspirin) are portrayed in a bad light and as I imagined my initial thoughts have been correct, to justify this further let us look at another source.
The magazine - 'The Advocate' [Page 49] displays interesting information, stating "Enslaved to Painkillers" on their theme headline. Not very good is it? Further evidence that the dependency on pain killers is not good at all.
'The Advocate' explains that it is especially dangerous for those who are Gays and Lesbians who are particularly 'enslaved' to pain killers.
Here is a sample of [Page 49] "This 42 year old lesbian mother of two becomes suddenly animated and friendly. She shakes the prescription bottle. This is my love, This is my life, I'll take this drug till the day I die"she says, hastening that day one tablet at a time
".
If you need further evidence we will give it to you, as we know some journalism articles go by one source or two, we prefer to give you minimum three, for non-bias reasons.
Here is an interesting book, which somewhat supports and negates pain killers, we thought we'd add not to include bias.
'Encyclopedia of Family Health' [Page 137] states "The range of painkilling drugs available can be confusing. Some are fairly mild where as some are dangerous; many can be bought in drugstores and supermarkets."
Continued "However, aspirin is not suitable for pain in the heart, gut or urinary tract, or for those who develop rashes and breathing difficulties".
Continued "Research shows it is unsafe to give aspirin to children under 12 years old".
Continued "Also included are opiates, both natural and synthetic, such as morphine, heroine and opium".
This is very interesting because not only do these sources show there is a dependency in the theoretical research but there is personal research to support this.
Conclusion
I am sure we can continue on this for a long time, but let us concentrate on the matter at hand, essentially 'is paracetamol and aspirin bad for our health''. According to this finding, yes it is, if the medications are administered properly, so pain killers are possible treatments but they cause dependency including very powerful pain killers. Smaller pain killers would be better, but because of the confusion as to whether which one is better or not and as each country differs, I would advise taking small doses of pain killers and taking the light form and not taking them regularly, and only when the pain stops, it is immediate to come off them, this article shows evidence of dependency - so try not to take too many pain killers as they come with their side affects too.
Another reason not to take pain killers is because too many can cause death, yes its true, believe it or not and as I am taking too many medications in my system, I was right in saying that pain killers is the wrong way to go. I was administered another cream and it was more useful thankfully.
I personally HATE painkillers they are terrible, I have seen people die from them as a freely available medication, so as they are freely available in supermarkets and drug stores - take caution and god bless and be safe.
Thanks.
References
Clayton, D, 2006, The Healthy Guide to Unhealthy Living, [e-book], New York, Simon and Schuster Paperbacks, Available through; Google Books website, Accessed 24th January 2012,
Bruce C Steele, August 2006, The Advocate, Enslaved by Painkillers, The Advocate, [online], Available through; Google Books website, Accessed 24th January 2012,
Jacoby, D, Youngson, 2005, Encyclopedia of Family Health, [e-book], R.M, New York, Marshall Cavendish Corporation, Available through; Google Books, Accessed 24th January 2012,
