12. Excess Painkillers
It’s normal to take painkillers whenever you are feeling pain. Most people take these painkillers without realizing the long-term side effects that they can cause. In what is called an analgesic, it’s any medicine that is taken to relieve pain. Over the counter, analgesics include aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen and naproxen sodium. These medicines are not dangerous to the body when taken moderately due to your medical condition.
However, they can become dangerous to your kidneys if taken over a long period. An increased amount can be fatal to the kidneys especially when taken over an extended period of time. This occurs when you have a chronic problem that requires drugs to be taken in. It is a challenge when there is a medical condition that will leave you with no other choice.
Most of the medicines that can potentially cause kidney damage is excreted through the kidneys. This happens because the liver does not break them. It is the same when waste products are passed out through urine. Analgesic has been linked to two types of kidney damage. They can cause acute renal failure and chronic kidney disease known as analgesic nephropathy.
However, these kidney problems normally happen when you are taking high amounts and over an extended period. For instance, research has shown that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can cause kidney problems. It’s believed that 3 percent of chronic kidney diseases each year are caused by taking too many of these drugs such as ibuprofen. This applies to over-the-counter and prescription drugs.
These drugs can become harmful to your kidneys if improperly taken. It’s important to consult your doctor for the prescription or don’t take more than one packaging. Taking more than one package will encourage you to take in more than the required dose.