Disclaimer: This article features medical and health topics for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to replace or serve as medical or professional advice for self-diagnosis, self-treatment, self-medication, or the like for any health-related condition or medical emergency. Make sure to consult a health care or medical professional for proper medical care, diagnosis, or treatment related to your situation.

Don’t let aches and body pain stop you from going. Sore muscles and physical body pain can be a hassle and may ruin your mood for the entire day. Whether you have muscle aches from an intensive workout, a bad headache, or recurring discomfort due to existing health conditions, you don’t have to endure the pain.

Never miss out on your important plans by managing your pain with enough rest, applying an alternate hot and cold compress, or taking your over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers. For pain that lasts longer than ten days, it is highly recommended to seek your doctor’s professional advice.

Understanding OTC Pain Relievers

Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers are medications you can buy directly from a store without a doctor’s prescription. They help decrease or stop the pain and lower fevers. Pain relievers may work the same way or differently compared to other pain medicines.

Most people find relief and comfort from OTC medicines when treating their symptoms. However, if OTC medicines don't work out for you, it’s best to reach out to your physician for an extensive health checkup and get a recommendation for prescription medicine.

What Are the Types of OTC Medicines?

OTC pain relievers are categorized into two main types. They are acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These are medications that you may obtain without a prescription. Some commonly known and preferred choices for pain relief are acetaminophen or NSAIDs like aspirin, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, and naproxen.

Common OTC pain medications include the following:

• Acetaminophen: This drug helps dull pain receptors in the brain and is widely used to treat mild to moderate pain such as headaches, menstrual periods, toothaches, backaches, osteoarthritis, cold or flu aches and pains, and also used to help reduce fever.
• Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs): They are medications that help relieve or reduce pain. The most popular examples in this group are aspirin and ibuprofen.
• Combination: There are OTC pain relievers containing both acetaminophen and NSAID. Some other medicines also contain caffeine in them.

Topical: They are OTC pain medications that work by blocking pain receptors in the brain. These products can be directly applied to your skin.

 It is still important to practice caution when taking your OTC pain relief medication.

How Do I Safely Take OTC Pain Relievers?

Over-the-counter medications are easily accessible and are an appealing treatment option. However, just like prescription medicines, OTC products may have some risks and serious side effects especially when they are taken improperly or with other kinds of medicines.

For this reason, you need to be careful when it comes to OTC medicines. Here are a few tips on what to do before taking OTC medications:

When it comes to OTC pain medications, simply reading the label instructions is necessary. This is a very crucial step to find out if the medicine will help treat your symptoms, who shouldn’t take it, and how to use it. Make sure to know the indications and proper dosage before you take any OTC pain relievers.

If unsure of how the medicine label is instructed, it’s advisable to ask a pharmacist or your doctor for your questions about taking an OTC drug.

Your doctor needs to be informed about the products you take including other OTC medicines, vitamins, and supplements. This ensures that the OTC pain reliever you are to take does not interfere with your other medicines or cause any side effects.

OTC drugs such as cold medicines and pain relievers may contain the same active ingredients. If you are taking more than one medicine for different symptoms or illnesses, it is important to read the ingredients list to compare the active ingredients available in each medicine.

When taking OTC medications, it is important to measure dosages accurately. It is advisable to use the cup or other dosing device that came with the medicine. For infants or kids, it's helpful to use a medicine dropper or syringe to get the proper dose. It is not recommended to use spoons as they vary in size which may result in taking much or less dose.

OTC Pain Relievers Available at Southstar Drug

Southstar Drug offers a wide selection of over-the-counter medicines for minor aches and pains such as headache, backache, menstrual cramps, muscular aches, minor arthritis pain, toothache, and pain associated with common cold and flu. There are also pain relievers for moderate to severe pain and inflammation.

Some of our pain relievers and fever medications available are Advil, Alaxan, BioFlu, Biogesic, Efficascent Ointment, Flanax, Medicol Advance, Saridon, Skelan, Tempra, and Tylenol. 

You may also check our collection of TGP Brand Medicines for pain, fever, and flu.

Shop Your Over-the-Counter (OTC) Medicines Online at Southstar Drug

Find relief for your aches and body pain with over-the-counter medications available online at Southstar Drug. Shop now and enjoy our FREE delivery service for purchases worth Php 1,499 and up for orders from Metro Manila, Rizal, and select areas in Pampanga, Cavite, and Batangas. Avail of the same service for purchases worth Php 5,000 and up for the rest of the provinces.