Stop taking those painkillers © Shutterstock
So many of us have painkillers regularly to get rid of that niggling headache, menstrual cramps, backache, leg sprain, migraine, arthritis and other kinds of troubles. Sometimes, we do that even without a proper prescription from a doctor. Not only do we take them ourselves, we also recommend them to our friends and relatives. All of these habits can have dangerous consequences. Here are some dangers of taking painkillers frequently:
1) A study by the University of Exeter says that opioid-based painkillers, mainly buprenorphine, that are commonly prescribed to dementia patients may triple the risk of side effects including personality changes, confusion and sedation. The study also warned that people with dementia could get effective pain relief from smaller doses than are commonly prescribed. The painkillers tripled the harmful effects, said the study.
2) You must definitely stay away from painkillers when you are pregnant, says this study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives because they could affect the fertility of both unborn boys and girls and also the fertility of future generations, by leaving marks on DNA. It said that medicines, including paracetamol, should be used with caution and in low doses during pregnancy. The study noted that 'ovaries exposed to paracetamol for one week had more than 40 per cent fewer egg-producing cells. After ibuprofen exposure, the number of cells was almost halved. Testicular tissue exposed to painkillers in a culture dish had around a quarter fewer sperm-producing cells after exposure to paracetamol or ibuprofen.'
3) A research by Newcastle University states that people on OTC painkillers (opiates and cardio-metabolic drugs ) reported 95 per cent rates of obesity, 82 per cent "very high" waist circumference and 63 per cent hypertension. Opioids are also known to worsen snoring and untreated sleep apnea, as well as causing problems with nocturnal hypertension, the study observed.
4) Opioids like morphine cause an increase in chronic pain, a release by the University of Colorado Boulder in the US said. The study showed that just a few days of morphine treatment caused chronic pain that went on for several months by exacerbating the release of pain signals.
5) Painkiller can reduce your ability to feel empathy for others. Researcher Dominik Mischkowski from Ohio State University said that acetaminophen, an ingredient used in painkillers can reduce empathy. People who take these painkillers 'experience less pain and suffering' after learning about misfortunes about others, when compared to those who took no painkiller.
