Girls, we've all been there. 'The time of the month' is not only a nuisance, it's a pain -- literally. Hands up: how many of you have missed work or school because of severe cramps? Now, I can't see your hands, but I'm willing to bet most of you raised them--myself included. Popping a pain killer is always an option after your period has hit, but is there any way to prevent cramps?

WebMD says yes, and they've even put together this video on how to nip menstrual cramps in the bud. There are a few things you can do:

• A few days before your period starts, take a mild over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drug like Advil, aspirin or ibuprofen
  
• If you're not trying for a family, consider taking oral contraceptives. They'll help make your period lighter and less painful.
  
• Applying heat to the area will help -- use a heating pad or hot water bottle.
• As always, eating well and exercising lots will go a long way to help prevent pain.
  

Want more tips? Watch the video, and be sure to let us know if you have any 'secret weapons' against the pain of periods.

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Pain Killers are a staple in almost every person's medicine cabinet. Aches or pains? We pop a pill with nary a thought towards what we're putting into our body. But it's important to know what you're putting into your body. Here's a quick run-down of the popular pain killers on the market:

• Aspirin can reduce fever, pain and swelling, and it's also been proven to help prevent blood clots, strokes and heart attacks. However, it's not right for everyone--it can cause Reyes syndrome in teenagers--so talk to your doctor first.
  
• Ibuprofen can reduce fever and mild pains, but in some cases, it has been shown to cause stroke and heart trouble. It's also hard on the stomach.
  
• Acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, is good for relieving mild fever and pain, but be sure to adhere to the dosage guidelines, especially when giving it to children.
  

Want more info on pain meds? Click here.

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The first randomized trial evidence revealing the dangers of taking ibuprofen and aspirin together was recently released by the Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

The research suggests that the ibuprofen inhibits the blood thinning properties of aspirin, leaving patients at a reported nine-times higher risk of heart attack. The cardiovascular health of 18,523 patients who are over 50 years old and had osteoarthritis (which is why they were likely taking the ibuprofen) was reviewed by the researchers involved with this study.

The researchers concluded that doctors should seriously reconsider ever giving patients, who are at risk of cardiovascular problems, ibuprofen to deal with pain.

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It's hours away from starting ... the Biggest Party Night of the year!! I find it amazing that the night before Thanksgiving has somehow stolen the title from New Year's Eve, but as long as good times are being had, I'm all about it. Speaking of good times ...

Tomorrow (you know, when the actual holiday occurs) many people will enjoy Thanksgiving dinner with a bevy of loved ones. The people who may not enjoy it so much, however, are those who enjoy tonight a bit too much. It's very easy to let a couple of drinks become a couple more than you should be drinking, which may cause you to wake up feeling -- shall we say -- less than jovial.

Here are a few tips that may help reduce (note: not cure, just reduce) your hangover, thereby making a three hour sit down dinner with your annoying cousins at least bearable:

1. Pop an Ibuprofen. This will help reduce the pounding headache from which you're likely suffering.

2. Drink Plenty of Water. Common knowledge, I think. Alcohol can cause you to become dehydrated, so it's vital that you replenish your body the following day. After a while, switch to Gatorade or Powerade to also replace the electrolytes you've lost. Some people feel that drinking coconut water, due to its high levels of potassium, is a great way to rehydrate.

3. Eat a Healthy Meal. Although eating fatty and greasy foods may help absorb (for lack of a better word) some of the alcohol in your system, more important are foods rich in magnesium and potassium, such as bananas, whole grains, and, as mentioned, coconut water.

4. Don't Skip Your Morning Cup of Joe. If you're a regular coffee drinker, avoiding your morning cup may cause a bit of caffeine withdrawal, which will only serve to increase the severity of your already pounding headache.

Remember, none of these measures will help eliminate a hangover entirely, so keep that in mind tonight when you're out on the town.

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Several years ago I picked my niece up from the orthodontist. I handed her a Tylenol to help with the pain of having her braces tightened. Before she had a chance to swallow it the receptionist told me that naproxen (found in Aleve and generic versions) is a better choice for relieving pain from dental work. It took me by surprise. At that time, I had no idea that one type of over-the-counter pain medication was better than another for certain types of pain.

This chart breaks down which pain relievers are the best choices for different ouches, bumps, aches, and bruises. Not only is each pain reliever medication effective for different types of pain, there are different lengths of time the medication lasts, possible side effects, and cautions to remember.

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There are family members and friends I know who swear by one OTC pain reliever or another. Some laud acetaminophen, others ibuprofen and yet others only will take aspirin. Is there a better choice? All three are generally meant for slight pain relief, right?

If you're a fan of ibuprofen, a controversial study says that it may increase the risk of a heart attack by blocking the lifesaving effects of aspirin.

The study will certainly be scrutinized heavily since the public health issues brought up by such a study are anything but minor. One of the study's researchers says that "Ibuprofen is relatively safe except when we give it with aspirin to people at high risk of heart attack".

With ibuprofen and aspirin being taken by millions daily, this study will be picked apart from the ground up as patients start worrying and asking questions. I'll be staying tuned -- will you?

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When your child has a headache or just does not feel good, many of us rush to administer ibuprofen, acetaminophen or just plain aspirin -- but are any of those choices not the optimal one to reduce pain in the young ones?

A recent study showed that ibuprofen was, by far, the most preferred pain medication to give young kids for common childhood ailments like headache and pain from bruises and scrapes.

Ibuprofen beat out acetaminophen and codeine-based painkillers in a study which involved 300 kids. The results broke down like this: after 60 minutes, about half the studied kids who had taken ibuprofen reported what doctors considered "adequate" pain relief -- compared with 40% of the codeine group of kids and 36% of the acetaminophen group.

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As Rigel posted on earlier, this week some rather shocking news was released regarding very common painkillers and the possibility of raising blood pressure -- to dangerous levels.

If you're like almost every other person alive these days, you've probably taken a painkiller like aspirin, ibuprofen and acetaminophen for everything from the common headache to the leg cramp. U.S. researchers point out that all of these common painkillers can raise blood pressure. With that comes the risk of heart disease among men. But, can all men stop taking these very common (and very helpful) pain relievers? Very doubtful. What solutions are there, then?

The research stated that men who took such drugs for most days in a week were about one-third more likely to be diagnosed with high blood pressure than men not taking them. This is a little disconcerting; which men have not taken these common painkillers? Probably next to none. And, most likely, most men would like to continue taking these rather inexpensive and workable pain relief solutions. If you're a guy, do you?

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Another important reminder that just because a medication is sold "over the counter" doesn't mean it comes without any potential risks: new data coming out of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School suggests that most commonly used painkillers can increase your risk of high blood pressure.

The painkillers tested included pretty much all of them, including those sold under the names Aleve, Naproxen, Ibuprofen, Motrin, aspirin, and even Tylenol.

Of course this doesn't mean you should suffer by passing on the pain meds altogether, but it does warrant regular conversations with your doctor if you need painkillers frequently -- maybe there are other ways to treat your symptoms.

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This week, the FDA recommended sterner warnings on common pain relievers, citing concerns that earlier warnings did not go far enough considering the easy availability of the products and their presence in combination products, such as cold medicines.

Acetaminophen is safe when taken as directed. But at higher doses, the drug can cause liver damage. Patients taking acetaminophen should also avoid alcohol, and never drink more than three alcoholic beverages a day while on the drug.

Ibuprofen, aspirin, and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatories can cause kidney damage and gastrointestinal bleeding, even when taken at normal doses. The number of people who suffer these complications is small compared to the 17 million who take the drug each day, however. Patients at the highest risk include those over 59, those with a history of stomach ulcers or who take blood thinning drugs, or those who take other NSAID-containing drugs or use NSAIDS long term.

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