Analgesics are medicines that reduce pain. Anti-inflammatory medications reduce both pain and inflammation. Let's take a detailed look at some of the most common of these medications.

Acetaminophen is probably the safest of all analgesics, and is the active ingredient in Tylenol^®, as well as many other pain medicines. When taken in very high doses for many years, it can be harmful to the kidneys, and an overdose can cause serious liver failure. Otherwise, it has very few side effects.

Acetaminophen is pretty good at relieving mild-to-moderate pain, and also works very well in combination with stronger medications. Tylenol^® (and generic versions) is available in three common strengths: Regular (325 mg each), Extra (500 mg each) and Arthritis (650 mg each).

Adults with normal liver and kidney function can take up to 4,000 mg of acetaminophen per day with complete safety. That works out to either 1,000 mg four times daily or 1,300 mg three times daily.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a large category of medications that reduce both pain and inflammation. Aspirin is the oldest of these, and usually comes in a strength of 325 mg.

Ibuprofen (Advil^®, Motrin^®, others; 200 mg each) and naproxen (Aleve^®; 220 mg each) are also available over the counter. There are also several other NSAIDs available by prescription. On average, at their highest doses, all of the NSAIDs are roughly equal in terms of both pain-relieving ability and side effects. However, each person responds a little bit differently, and so it might take some trial and error to find the best one for you.

Most adults can safely take 400-800 mg of ibuprofen (2-4 tablets) 4 times daily. However, I prefer naproxen 220-440 mg (1-2 tablets) 2 or 3 times daily, because you need fewer pills and can take them less often. Prescription versions of both of these drugs are available in higher doses, which help to reduce the number of pills you need to take.

Although NSAIDs often work a little better than acetaminophen for pain control, they can cause more serious side effects. Make sure your doctor knows exactly what medication you're taking and any problems you think it may be causing.