Painkillers 'cause kidney damage'

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LONDON: Be it a body pain, a headache or the pain of a wound, all we do is to pop in a Painkiller. Soon the pain subsides and you sign off for a peaceful sleep, unaware of the fact that the painkiller is playing tricks on your body organs.

Experts say that occasional intake of Painkillers does not cause harm but regular practice may lead to serious health conditions. Surveys have proved the fast growing practice of Painkiller addiction. Most of the addicts were not even aware that they were addicted to the painkiller.

Painkillers do not work on any specific body part. All they do is to reduce the pain messages sent to brain and relax the reaction. Painkillers do the job of suppressing the pain but they never cure it. If the pain is an outcome of a constant health condition, it will return after a gap of few hours.

The two major body organs damaged by painkillers are Kidney and Heart.

Heart – According to a recent survey, excess consumption of Painkillers can lead to Cardiac Arrest. Cardiac Arrest is the condition when heart stops circulating blood to the body. Excess consumption of painkillers hampers the normal breathing process. This in turn leads to drop in Oxygen supply.

This low level of Oxygen disturbs the heart rhythm called ventricular fibrillation. In this condition though the heart continues to work, it does not supply enough blood to the body.

Kidney - The medicine which reduces pain is called Analgesic. Some Analgesic which does not need prescription like Aspirin, Ibuprofen etc. Over usage of theses drugs can lead to Kidney damage. These painkillers are not broken by the Liver or by the digestive system. These are excreted through the kidney, thus causing damage to it.

The Analgesic can cause two types of Kidney damage – Acute Renal Failure and Chronic Kidney Disease called analgesic nephropathy.


Other Side Effects Of Painkillers

1.Constipation – Painkillers have the ability to disturb your bowel system. The constipation if not diagnosed it time can be very painful and lead to other major diseases.

2.Dizziness – Painkillers relax your brain and generally makes you feel sleepy. Constant usage of painkillers, can make it a permanent trait. Constant heavy usage can lead to dull brain and depression.

3.Nausea – Some painkillers contain a dose of morphine, which is not tolerated by some body types. This may cause nausea which eventually retreats. Continuous usage of these painkillers may cause serious problems.

In few situations, like after an operation or in times of unbearable pain, painkillers can be used but if the pain persists, it's better to take medical advice. Avoiding these problem with painkillers is sure to lead to serious health conditions.