Different pains and ailments require different treatments and picking the wrong one may delay or hamper your recovery, or create new problems. There are four primary products for the prevention and treatment of pain:

• Aspirin
• Acetaminophen
• Ibuprofen
• Naproxen sodium

Aspirin has three key properties: anti-inflammatory, painkiller and anticoagulant. Aspirin helps to reduce swelling (anti-inflammatory) so pain is less likely to recur when the analgesic properties wear off. It also helps to thin blood (anticoagulant) enough to prevent clotting.

The downside of aspirin, if taken in large doses, is gastrointestinal discomfort (stomach ache). If taken by children/ adolescents infected with a virus such as chicken pox or influenza it can cause Reye's syndrome.

Acetaminophen relieves pain but, unlike aspirin, has no effect on the underlying inflammation, redness and swelling of the joint. It is popular because it is less likely to cause stomach upset and helps to relieve fever.

Acetaminophen is a preferred children's medication because of the connection between Reye's syndrome and aspirin. Ibuprofen is twice as potent as aspirin as an anti-inflammatory. It is an effective and well-tolerated analgesic for general use.

Ibuprofen provides relief for a variety of symptoms: headaches, migraine, backache, dental pain, muscular pain, menstrual pain, cold and flu symptoms, and feverishness. A shortcoming of ibuprofen is possible stomach upset.

Naproxen Sodium is a more specialized drug for headaches and arthritis. It is a powerful, (formerly prescription-only) pain reliever. It works similar to aspirin by inhibiting prostaglandins (the body's chemical messengers). But, also like aspirin, can cause stomach upset and other gastrointestinal problems.