Pain medications: Read the label before you buy

All nonprescription pain medications, also called over-the-counter pain relievers, must have a label describing how the medication works and how to use it safely. This is called the "Drug Facts" label, and you don't want to overlook this important resource. The information can help you decide which pain medication is right for you — if you understand the lingo. Here are definitions of some common terms.

Terms in the Drug Facts label

The Food and Drug Administration requires that all over-the-counter (OTC) products list the following information using the same format on the Drug Facts label. This simple, uniform label is intended to help you compare and choose medications wisely.

• Active ingredient. This is the medication that works to relieve your symptoms. It's always the first item on the label. If a product has more than one active ingredient, the label will say so. Next to the active ingredient you'll see its purpose and how much is in a dose, usually shown in milligrams — abbreviated as mg. As you read the labels on OTC pain relievers, you'll notice that they all contain one or more of the following active ingredients: acetaminophen, aspirin, ibuprofen or naproxen sodium. Typically, you can choose among several pain medications that have the same active ingredient and dose, opting for the best price or for a preferred method of delivery — capsule instead of tablet, for example. Brand-name pain relievers aren't any better than their generic equivalents.
• Uses. This section of the label lists the symptoms that the medicine is intended to treat.
• Warnings. This safety information tells you what other medicines, foods or situations — such as driving — to avoid while taking the medicine. It also tells you when you should talk to your doctor.
• Directions. This section has information about when, how and how often to take the medication.
• Other information. Additional information about the medication, such as how to store it, is listed here.
• Inactive ingredients. These are the chemicals in a medicine that don't treat your symptoms but have another purpose, such as flavoring, coloring or preserving the medicine. Pay close attention to this information if you have food allergies or other allergies.

Forms of medication

OTC pain medications are sold in many different forms. Tablets are usually the cheapest. If you have trouble swallowing tablets or caplets, however, you may want to try capsules, gelcaps or geltabs, which are designed to be easier to swallow.

• Tablet. A solid pill created by packing the active ingredient together with a binding agent.
• Capsule. A hollow gelatin container that holds a powdered medication.
• Caplet. A solid tablet in the shape of a capsule with a smooth coating.
• Gelcap. A caplet with a gelatin coating.
• Geltab. A tablet with a gelatin coating.
• Liquigel. A capsule containing medicine that has been dissolved into liquid form to speed absorption by your body.
• Suspension. A liquid containing drug particles that can't be dissolved. It must be shaken thoroughly before each use to evenly distribute the drug particles.

Other terms you need to know
The following terms describe special features of some pain medications. Understanding these terms can help you select the right pain medication. Ask your pharmacist or doctor if you see something you don't understand on the package or label.

• Buffered. A buffered pain reliever contains an antacid to reduce the amount of acid in your stomach. There's some debate, however, about whether buffered products actually protect your stomach.
• Enteric-coated. A special coating allows pills to pass undigested through your stomach and dissolve in your small intestine, which helps prevent or reduce stomach irritation. Enteric-coated pills are sometimes recommended for people with chronic pain who must take pain medicine every day.
• Extra-strength. Dose for dose, these preparations contain more active ingredient than regular-strength products do. For example, an extra-strength Tylenol has 500 milligrams of acetaminophen, compared with 325 milligrams in the regular-strength version. Extra-strength formulas are more convenient when you need more than one regular-strength dose to relieve your symptoms. Use added caution when you're taking extra-strength preparations. Be sure to keep track of the number of doses you take so that you don't exceed the recommended maximum dose.
• Timed-release. Also called extended-release or sustained-release, these products dissolve slowly over time. They prolong the effect of the medication by maintaining a sustained level of the active ingredient in your blood. Use them if you need lasting, not just immediate, relief. But don't crush or chew these products.

A note about combination products

Combination products, also called combination formulas, contain more than one active ingredient. For example, some pain medicines for migraines contain acetaminophen, aspirin and caffeine. Caffeine is used because studies have shown that adding it to aspirin or acetaminophen improves pain relief. Nighttime or PM formulas typically include a sedating drug, such as an antihistamine, to make you drowsy.

If you're taking multiple OTC products, especially if one is a combination product, pay close attention to the list of ingredients. Many contain the same active ingredient. For example, a pain medicine and a cough-cold-fever medicine could both contain acetaminophen. If you took both, you could exceed — maybe by a lot — the recommended maximum dose and be at risk of serious adverse effects.

Read all about it

The information on today's over-the-counter medications is easier to understand than ever. Technical terms such as "contraindications" and "precautions" have been eliminated. So has haphazardly placed safety information and the tiny type.

So there's no excuse for not reading the label before you buy. Also, be sure to check the label — including the expiration date — when you dig something out of your medicine cabinet.