Ibuprofen ‘numbs emotions’

Painkillers such as ibuprofen and paracetamol may do more than ease pain, they could affect us psychologically. New research suggests they can affect emotions too.

The review, carried out at the University of California, found that women reported feeling emotionally less hurt in uncomfortable situations, such as being excluded from a game, if they had taken painkillers. But in men, it has the opposite effect. The drugs also seemed to dull men’s empathy towards other people. The study noted that more research was needed to confirm the findings but that they were potentially “alarming”.