ANALGESIA lifestyle changes may also help.
MIGRAINES Migraines are usually felt as a severe, throbbing pain at the front or side of the head. Some people also have other symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting and increased sensitivity to light or sound. Migraines tend to be more severe than tension headaches and can stop a person from carrying out their normal daily activities. They usually last at least a couple of hours, and some people fi nd they need to stay in bed for days at a time. Most migraines can be treated successfully with OTC medication, but if they’re severe, then it may be advisable to refer the patient to the GP for a stronger medication.
CLUSTER HEADACHES Cluster headaches are a rare type of headache that occur in clusters for a month or two at a time around the same time of year. Excruciatingly painful, cluster headaches cause intense pain around one eye, and often occur with other symptoms, such as a watering or red eye and a blocked or runny nose. OTC medications won’t generally ease the symptoms of a cluster headache, so referral to a GP is usually advisable.
INTERESTING RESULTS FROM NEW HEADACHE STUDY
A recent study of headaches has indicated that medication containing a combination of acetylsalicylic acid, (aspirin), acetaminophen, and caffeine is more effective than acetaminophen alone.
Researchers led by Hans-Christoph Diener, MD, of the University Hospital in Essen, Germany, conducted an analysis of four previous studies that included the treatment of nearly 2,000 individuals and more than 6,800 headache episodes, including 2,215 that were severe.
Individuals were more likely to be pain free two hours after taking the combination medication (28.5 per cent) compared to acetaminophen (21 per cent) or placebo (18 per cent). The results were similar for those who reported severe headache (20.2 per cent versus 12.1 per cent and 10.8 per cent) Additionally, patients reported that daily activities were no more diffi cult than normal as little as one hour after treatment with the triple combination medication.
The researchers noted that caffeine is the component that makes the combination so effective and that patients who take an analgesic without caffeine need about 40 per cent more medication to get the same relief as patients taking the same
BAC RELIEF GEL
Back pain is one of the main reasons for time off work in the UK. 81% of the UK adult population; that’s 40 million people, are currently suffering or have suffered with back pain in the past. In partnership with the London Spine clinic, we have developed a range of products to assist in back pain.
The Relief Gel is a balanced formulation ideal for massaging into back and neck to provide relieving care from muscle stiffness.
To become a stockist of Relief Gel and other products to assist in back and shoulder pain, go to
BackPainHelp.com, or contact us at
enquiries@backpainhelp.com / 0161 818 4780
analgesic with caffeine.
TOOTHACHE/DENTAL PAIN The majority of those who sought treatment for toothache opted for an oral OTC. Toothache occurs when the dental pulp, comprised of nerves and blood vessels, becomes infl amed. Causes can include tooth decay, cracked teeth, loose or broken fi llings, receding gums and periapical abscess.
Most treatments to relieve the pain are available on an OTC basis, with ibuprofen and paracetamol the mainstay of treatment. Some patients do, however, prefer topical anaesthetics as they act locally and quickly.
BACK PAIN
Again, one of the most common types of pain experienced. It’s estimated that each year more than a third of men and women will visit their GP with back pain, so it’s little wonder that the cost of back pain alone to the UK health budget is 20 per cent of the total health
expenditure.
Patients with back pain that lasts less than six weeks should be advised to use paracetamol and ibuprofen to alleviate the pain, and to use hot or cold compresses to aid in alleviating the pain. Long-term back pain can be helped by exercise classes, which may strengthen muscles and improve posture. Acupuncture and physiotherapy can also be helpful.
SPORTS INJURIES/MUSCLE PAIN While sports injuries are many and varied, the treatments tend to be the same for all. In addition to analgesic treatment, which consists of paracetamol and ibuprofen (post 48 hours), patients can also obtain topical rubs, sprays and patches from the pharmacy, together with support bandages, which are available to suit every type of injury. In addition to oral and topical OTC treatments, patients should also be advised to rest and to use ice packs for the fi rst 48-72 hours. •
PINK PAIN/BLUE PAIN?
The pain thresholds of men and women has for a long time been a contested issue, but when it comes the types of pain experience, it seems that it is women who are more likely to have suffered from a variety of ailments.
Mintel’s research also revealed that, over the past twelve months, just six per cent of women said they had not experienced any type of common pain, compared to 16 per cent of men. What’s more, a third (34 per cent) of women say they have experienced fi ve or more different types of pain in the last twelve months as opposed to just 27 per cent of men.
Of the ailments suffered, overall three quarters (74 per cent) of all adults had experienced a headache/migraine over the past year, making this the most common type of pain. And, while women’s night-time headaches might be something of cliché, the research confi rms that women (81 per cent) really do suffer more headaches than men (68 per cent). The same is true of back pain, the nation’s second most common type of pain, with 57 per cent of women having suffered back pain in the last twelve months, compared to half (50 per cent) of men.
‘Our research shows that women are notably more likely to experience most types of pain than men, as well as experience a greater range of pains,’ said Jack Duckett, Consumer Lifestyles Analyst at Mintel. ‘Whilst men are becoming more active in the home, women continue to take the lion’s share of household responsibilities putting them at a greater risk of back ache, not to mention menstrual cycles and pregnancy.
Whilst women (78 per cent) are more likely than men (66 per cent) to keep pain killers at hand when they are sick, there is a defi nite need for more education in terms of painkiller usage: only 68 per cent of all Britons say they understand the difference between different painkillers such as paracetamol, aspirin and ibuprofen.
‘The fact that men are considerably less likely to keep pain killers at hand could arise from their overall lower experience of pain and lower usage of painkillers,’ Jack Duckett concluded. ‘However, as a majority of men have experienced pain in the last year, campaigns to highlight the benefi ts of keeping painkillers in kit or work bags could boost purchase of pain relief as a preparative measure.’
38 - PHARMACY IN FOCUS
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