Episode 136: The Painkiller Dilemma: The Fine Line Between Benefit and Addiction

28 March 2024
Podcast
Back to overview

28 March 2024
Podcast
Back to overview

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Health Nerds – The Podcast About Living Naturally
Listen to Episode 136 now
Matthias Baum

Health Nerds – The Podcast About Living Naturally

Aspirin, ibuprofen, paracetamol: Pain relievers are found in most of our medicine cabinets. The promise of the manufacturers: They are supposed to quickly and easily help with headaches, back pain, menstrual cramps, or toothaches.

"Many people reach for painkillers too quickly and too often," says Matthias Baum from the HEALTH NERDS science team. The numbers are alarming: In Germany alone, around 2.6 million people have a "problematic medication use." In the USA, the situation is even more dramatic: The opioid crisis claims about 100,000 lives annually and drives millions of people into addiction to strong painkillers like fentanyl, tilidine, or oxycodone.

But even "mild" over-the-counter pain relievers have side effects and interfere with the natural processes of our body: "When we have an acute inflammation situation and reach for medication too quickly, we inhibit the body's ongoing inflammatory response."

Matthias Baum explains how complex the mechanisms of pain relievers are and how the medication knows where in the body it should relieve pain. We also explain why painkillers work faster and better when we lie on our right side after taking them.

Do you want to know more about this topic or have additional questions? Simply send us your questions as a voice message or text message via Instagram! You will hear the answers from our health experts in the podcast every Thursday during the health nerds office hours.

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Listen to Episode 136 now

Our Health Nerds

Joining us in this episode: Our health nerd Matthias. Let us introduce him to you briefly.

Matthias Baum

Head of Science & Clinical Research. Health scientist, therapist for clinical psychoneuroimmunology, alternative practitioner, physiotherapist, trainer, Clinical Research Associate.

"For more than twelve years, I have been working in the medical and therapeutic field across various areas: From emergency medicine to therapy in hospitals and practices, including prevention and health promotion, to teaching positions in healthcare. This gives me a broad perspective on all the necessary levels in patient care, counseling, and treatment for individual health, well-being, and a natural lifestyle."