Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Are you taking too many painkillers?
DO you pop a painkiller every time you have a headache?
You’re not alone. In the UK, the average adult takes 373 painkillers each year, according to a report by the British Medical Association, with one in 20 taking at least six painkillers every time they feel ill.
However, this reliance on overthe-counter tablets can have serious repercussions. TV presenter Judy Finnigan, 70, revealed recently she needed two life-saving blood transfusions when she developed stomach ulcers after taking ibuprofen “like sweeties” to help with a painful knee injury.
Stuart Gale, chief pharmacist at oxfordonlinepharmacy.co.uk, explains everything you need to know about the four main painkillers you can buy over the counter without a prescription.