by Tracy Blankenship

Created on: September 29, 2009   Last Updated: October 05, 2009

We all deal with pain now and again, whether its a headache or aches and pains from overexertion or stress. How to reduce that pain quickly and effectively is a problem that people have been dealing with since the days of willow bark tea.

There seems to be an ever-increasing variety of over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers, and they all seem to claim they're the only one you'll ever need. Which one is the best? There may be more than one answer.

Acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Motrin) and aspirin (salicylate acid) are the big three. Newcomers like naproxen sodium (Aleve) have captured a their share of the market as well. With the exception of acetaminophen, they are all classified as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

The way that aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen block pain and reduce fever is by interrupting an enzyme that makes prostaglandins, substances that contribute to inflammation and fever. Inflammation is characterized by swelling, redness and heat of the affected area.

The wonder drug aspirin was synthesized as salicylic acid in 1897 by the Bayer company, and has been used to treat mild to moderate pain, minor inflammation and to reduce fevers ever since. It is the first non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and still one of the best pain relievers for arthritis pain. If you are over the age of 30, you probably remember your mom giving you those tasty orange-flavored chewable tablets when you stayed home from school with the sniffles. If you are over the age of 50, your doctor may recommend you take a daily low-strength dose of aspirin every day to ward off damage from heart attacks. Two major drawbacks of frequent aspirin use are, because of the lack of prostaglandin production, an upset in the protective mucous lining of the stomach, leading to irritation and possible gastric bleeding, and prevention of the blood's platelets from becoming "sticky". The platelet issue is a good thing/bad thing, as in a good thing when your doctor might want your blood to not clot aggressively when you are at risk for heart attacks, but a bad thing when unsticky platelets allow any cuts or injuries to bleed for a long time.

The problem of stomach upsets was addressed by "buffering" aspirin with coatings that would withstand the stomach acid and allow the tablet to disintegrate farther along in the gut. The platelet issue is still a challenge.

Further shadowing aspirin's bright star is the issue of Reye's Syndrome. Reye's syndrome, according

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