5 health risks of painkillers: Overuse of analgesics can harm your liver, kidneys, brain

Do you take painkillers (analgesics) every time you have a headache, muscle ache or injury? If you said yes to this, it’s time you stopped popping in a tablet for instant pain relief. Overusing painkillers for a long period of time can harm your health in more ways than you can imagine. Continued use can result in physical dependence, damage to internal organs, and even tolerance.

Over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen and acetaminophen, and other prescription opioids, help prevent pain by changing what we consider painful. However, large doses, intravenous use, or high-frequency enforcement take a toll on the liver, kidneys, and your gastrointestinal system.

Over time, this can have a detrimental impact on the chemicals in the brain, resulting in addiction or tolerance (the need to take larger doses to achieve the same relief). At high doses, it could lead to serious complications like bleeding, cardiac or respiratory arrest.

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Taking too many painkillers can also seriously damage your liver, warns Delhi-based pain management specialist Dr Manish Kumar. “Overuse of painkillers can also harm your mental state without you realising it,” he adds.

Dangers of overusing pain-killers: 

Liver Damage

When too much acetaminophen is consumed, the liver tries to process the dangerous byproducts but is unable to do its job of detoxifying effectively, Dr Kumar says. This, he adds, can result in hepatitis, fibrosis or even cirrhosis of the liver. The symptoms can come on late (jaundice, tiredness, and nausea) and people who use this drug are advised to have regular check-ups.

Kidney Problems

Painkillers like ibuprofen can lead to decreased blood flow to the kidneys, interfering with filtration and waste removal. Extended use may cause chronic kidney deficiency. Those with prior kidney problems, dehydration or hypertension are at even greater danger.

Stomach and Gut Issues

Chronic use of NSAIDs can cause irritation of the stomach resulting in gastritis, ulcers, and life-threatening bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract. These symptoms begin as mild indigestion but can lead to life-threatening internal hemorrhage if left untreated. Eating them with food lowers — though not completely eliminates — the risk.

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Heart Risks

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), and some pain killers can elevate blood pressure, increase fluid retention and risk for myocardial infarction or stroke. The lowest effective dose should be used for the shortest duration possible and patients with heart disease should be particularly vigilant because these drugs can “exacerbate cardiovascular conditions”.

Addiction and Dependence

Once the opioid painkillers are in the brain, they can block pain, but they also bind to receptors that can trigger sensations of pleasure. Eventually, the brain can become dependent on the drug. Dr Kumar warns that that withdrawal symptoms — anxiety, insomnia, muscle pain, etc. — make it difficult to stop without medical-assisted, structured care.

Disclaimer: This article, including health and fitness advice, only provides generic information. Don’t treat it as a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist for specific health diagnosis.