Aleve or Advil (or Tylenol)

[ny biker]

Tylenol/acetaminophen is not an NSAID. It does not reduce inflamation.

If the Aleve is making you sick, call your doctor and talk to him about it. There are other NSAIDs out there. He might say Ibuprofin is fine, or he might say something else is better.

All NSAIDs bother my stomach. I always have to take them with food.

There's also lots of information online about whatever drugs you might be taking. Drugs.com can be useful:

http://www.drugs.com/sfx/aleve-side-effects.html

And the NIH has all kinds of good information about drugs, vitamins, all kinds of stuff:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/d...s/a681029.html

[indysteel]

Physical therapists--good ones--are life savers. I went a year with some significant back and hip pain. I popped Advil when it got really bad with no real lasting relief. I finally went to my doc and got a PT referral. After one visit, I felt better. After a couple months worth of treatment, almost all of the pain went away and the mobility of that hip had improved greatly. Thanks to the exercises, I haven't had any problems for almost a year.

[surgtech1956]

I like Aleve, because I can take it in the morning and seems to last alot longer for me. I broke my ankle in December and still experience alot of swelling and the Aleve works better as an anti-inflammatory drug than Advil, at least for me.

[NbyNW]

I don't really think to reach for painkillers when my SI is acting up. I save the ibuprofen for when I have really bad PMS.

I find ice/heat to be plenty potent for reducing inflammation and improving blood flow. Stretching, ongoing core strengthening/maintenance, massage all help. Also being aware of any alignment problems and correcting them during exercise or regular activities, like walking (this is where a PT can really help). General good posture, especially when sitting.

There are also some good self-massage techniques for lower back/glutes, you can use anything from a cheapo inflated rubber toy ball to specialized balls by Yamuna or Franklin, or if you want to really target specific trigger points, a tennis ball or lacross ball.

I also went to an osteopath for about two years, following a major injury. Things would go out of whack pretty easily, and he would gently move them back in place. Started going every 3 weeks or so and gradually tapered off as I got stronger, and one day he said he thought I was doing well enough that I didn't need to go back in on a regular basis, and he was right!

At various stages with my injury recovery, I've found muscle relaxants can help. Some have awful side effects, so it may take a bit of trial and error to find out which would work for you and still enable you to function. If my pain is really severe, I take Tizanidine, which my Dr. originally prescribed for my TMJ pain, but hey, it works all over.

In a pinch, red wine does the trick, too. In moderation, of course.

[badger]

I get frequent headaches and hated taking OTC for them. I wanted to take "natural" remedies as much as possible, so I found white willow bark and a combination of guarana and feverfew to be quite effective in alleviating most of the headaches.

Just because they're herbal doesn't mean they're harmless, but they have not given me any side effects, even on an empty stomach. They do take longer to take all the pain away, but I've been very happy with the results.

Advil makes my GI hurt, even with food, and they don't do anything for my headaches.

[Dogmama]

I just read a research article that said 3 grams of fish oil daily decreased inflammation. It was in the Journal of Sport Science (I think) September edition.

[badger]

I just read a research article that said 3 grams of fish oil daily decreased inflammation. It was in the Journal of Sport Science (I think) September edition.

I started taking fish oil last month, and had a noticeably easier PMS last cycle. Maybe a coincidence, I'll find out in a couple of weeks if it has indeed made a difference.

[Selkie]

I like Aleve, because I can take it in the morning and seems to last alot longer for me. I broke my ankle in December and still experience alot of swelling and the Aleve works better as an anti-inflammatory drug than Advil, at least for me.

Same deal with me. During my recent ankle tendonitis, prescription-strength Advil (600 mg) did little to cut the pain/inflammation. Podiatrist gave me prescription-strength Aleve (500mg) and it damped the pain/decreased the inflammation to a reasonable level.

[grey]

mportant information about Aleve

Aleve can increase your risk of life-threatening heart or circulation problems, including heart attack or stroke. This risk will increase the longer you use Aleve. Do not use this medicine just before or after having heart bypass surgery (also called coronary artery bypass graft, or CABG).

Seek emergency medical help if you have symptoms of heart or circulation problems, such as chest pain, weakness, shortness of breath, slurred speech, or problems with vision or balance.

http://www.drugs.com/aleve.html

Also see: Why is Aleve illegal in Canada? http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...5152755AA0hKKk (it's not illegal, it's just considered a prescription-only drug)

This drug was on its way to killing my dad. Just a public service announcement, since most NSAIDs are just bad for your stomach/intestines. Carry on.