Better living through chemistry

[cjsmith]

O great Universe of boundless energy and creation and life,

Thanks for naproxen sodium.

With respect and joy and a few last twinges,

Me

Comments

[inflectionpoint.livejournal.com]

Oh yea.

Painkiller, bit of a muscle relaxant and not something that makes me bruise up or messes with my stomach. Naproxen is my pain killing friend.

A good thing indeed, unless I am trying to inhibit prostoglandin synthesis. Then it's all about aspirin.

I hope whatever hurts is not too evil to you.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Naproxen's a good one! Aspirin does nothing for me for this particular pain, but fortunately, I don't think (to my knowledge) I have ever tried to inhibit prostaglandin synthesis. :-)

[inflectionpoint.livejournal.com]

Well, the scoop is - aspirin inhibits COX-2, the cyclooxygenase that does one of the steps in the manufacture in the body of prostoglandins. Prostoglandins are responsible for at least some of the pain that can come along with periods. Taking a prostoglandin inhibitor for about a week before a cycle starts can be of help to some folks.

It's not the be all and end all, and it's for pain that does not have another cause, but it sure helps me. It works better taken ahead of time, and is not really as useful when taken after things already hurt. I was happy to learn this strange little painkiller fun fact.

And now, back to combing kittens. I will use all the hair I comb out to make another cat, I think.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I had no idea aspirin was a COX-2 inhibitor! Nifty. And thanks for explaining the role of the prostaglandins (that's how I've always seen it spelled - I could be wrong). My belly pain is nerve-pinchy pain from misrouted nerves, but most women don't have that one, thank goodness! :-)