NSAIDs Over-Used in Arthritis Pain Relief Management

Available by both prescription and over the counter, NSAIDs are widely used to treat the pain and fever associated with arthritis, menstrual cramps, headaches, colds and the flu. They can be found under multiple drug names, including ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn). We spoke with Cleveland Clinic pain management expert Robert Bales, MD, about these medications to better understand what the FDAs increased warning means and why continually reaching for NSAIDs can be dangerous for some patients.