Do Painkillers Damage The Liver?

Misused pain medications can have a significant impact on the health of our liver. When reaching for strong remedies for headache or joint pain, we often do not realize that they can disturb our body’s proper functioning. How to protect yourself against liver disease in a country where as many as 2/3 of the population reaches for pharmacological help in the fight against pain? We advise!

Effect of painkillers on the liver

The liver is the organ responsible for the metabolism of most drugs, including painkillers like pregabalin, but their excess or some substances contained in them may have a toxic effect on it. Worse, this applies not only to prescription drugs but also to widely available herbal preparations and remedies. People over 50, pregnant women, obese people, and those suffering from liver disease or kidney failure are at particular risk.

What can incorrect medication use lead to?

First of all, drug-induced liver damage may be asymptomatic, increasing the activity of liver enzymes or the form felt by the patient. In the worst case, the patient may complain of nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and anorexia, which may result in liver failure requiring a transplant.

Hepatitis may also be associated with obstruction of the outflow of bile – the so-called cholestasis. Then there is jaundice, itching, liver tenderness, and pain in the subcostal area.

What drugs are harmful to the liver?

The ease of using over-the-counter pregabalin painkillers and their effectiveness means that we sometimes reach for them like candy. However, not everyone is aware that even the popular and widely used paracetamol can lead to liver damage – in some cases, it is enough to exceed the recommended dose twice or combine the therapeutic dose with alcohol. So let’s first check the drug interactions to avoid unpleasant consequences.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can also cause liver failure, some anti-depressants, statins that lower cholesterol, oral contraceptives, steroids, methotrexate, epilepsy drugs, e.g., valproic acid or carbamazepine, ketoconazole commonly used to treat mycosis, and some antibiotics and chemotherapeutic agents.

How can I prevent drug-induced liver damage?

Before starting the therapy recommended by the doctor, let him know about regular over-the-counter medications to exclude their possible interaction. How else can we protect our liver?

• Follow the recommended dosage of the pregabalin drug, both the one specified by the doctor and the one provided in the leaflet in the case of over-the-counter medicines.
• When taking strong medications that can damage the liver, we support it with detoxifying and rebuilding preparations.
• Let’s take care of a diet that limits animal fats and simple carbohydrates.
• Eat more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and healthy vegetable fats.
• Also, the doctor may order liver tests that will determine the exact condition of the organ, which is extremely important in the case of chronic medications that harm the liver.

Liver regeneration

In addition to a healthy diet, supplements and over-the-counter medications can help to regenerate the liver. The most popular are products with phospholipids rebuilding the liver, such as Essentiale Forte, Esseliv fourteen. also, it is worth paying attention to some herbs

Before starting supplementation or treatment for pregabalin addiction, we should consult a doctor who will determine whether a given therapy is necessary and whether it will be able to solve our problem.

Conclusion

Even if a drug addict manages to overcome addiction on a physical level, psychological addiction is much more difficult to eradicate, so the risk of a relapse of the disease after using tramadol persists for 10-15 years. Thus it is recommended to take painkillers like pregabalin and other addicted drugs under strict supervision and for a short interval.