Taking Painkillers

[Tilly2]

This might come across as a daft question but here goes.

When do you take painkillers? When the pain is there or before the pain arrives?

I ask this because, having played Badminton this afternoon, when I wake tomorrow, my wrist elbow, shoulder and both knees will be aching.

Usually, I take a couple of Ibuprofen when I'm aching but if I took them before bed, would the pain not be there in the morning?

[ummmm]

They would have worn off by the morning I'd guess. Worth a try though.

I often find if I take pain killers the pain I'm killing doesn't return.

[237SJ]

I would have thought that if the pain is caused by inflammation then taking something like ibuprofen might calm it down a bit before it starts. It would be interesting to try it and see what happens

[Peter Pedant]

Nothing wrong with your idea

and I approve of taking something g so you can do something you enjoy

and yes if you take regular pain reiief or before you know something is painful you end up eating less of them than if you wait until it is unbearable

[anneasquith]

Take them when you waken.

[Tilly2]

I could try taking a couple tonight and see how it goes.
I suppose that people who are in constant pain just take their meds on a regular basis.

[Peter Pedant]

// It would be interesting to try it and see what happens//

we know: overall consumption of pain killers goes down

[ harder to combat pain when it is there than when you know it is gonna be and take something ]

[Peter Pedant]

// I suppose that people who a.........//
that is exxactly how we know

[douglas9401]

I used to take them before I played when I had dodgy knees. Seemed to work.
I eventually saw a man who fixed the problem properly with physio and exercise.

[Tilly2]

Peter, it's never unbearable, fortunately. I just know that I've been throwing myself around a court. :-)

[Peter Pedant]

//Take them when you waken.//
eek! I have just had a flash-back to before my hip replacement when I coldnt get out of bed without 2g paracet and 400 ibuprofen on board.

[Tilly2]

I'd need something to eat before taking anything.

[ummmm]

That's different Peter.

[woofgang]

whether or not they would work before you feel the pain depends on what they are working on. If they are actually fixing something, like speeding up lactic acid metabolisation, reducing inflammation, relaxing muscle spasm and so on, then they will work while you sleep and reduce the pain that you feel when you wake. However if the pain relief doesn’t change what is causing the pain but just stops you feeling it, then it won’t work until there is pain for you to feel and you are feeling it. If the pain comes on while you are sleeping and gives you a bad nights sleep then taking pain relief before you go to sleep may help but only if there is still med in your system when the pain comes on.
Its absolutely clinically true that if you are in continuing pain then taking pain meds regularly whether you need them or not works better than only taking them once the pain is being felt, or worse, when the pain has become unbearable. hence the use of syringe drivers.

[Tilly2]

Thank you, Woof. That makes a lot of sense to me.

[murraymints]

Tilly..dinnae play badminton !! lol xx

[Tilly2]

Ok, Minty. That'll help is suppose. :-)

[murraymints]

tee hee.. xx

[Sqad]

If you know that a certain activity will ring on the pain, then take them before the pain comes on.As for taking them at night, knowing full well that badminton will bring on the pain in the morning, then take them at night.

[Peter Pedant]

// That's different Peter.//

thank you for your empathy - its still pain innit ?

I thought she was asking about musculo-skeletal pain - but you know you may well be right ....

[douglas9401]

The esteemed doctor agrees with me. Excellent. :)