Do you take pain pills again and again? Kidneys may fail; Nephrologist warns, know how painkiller becomes ‘silent killer’

Today, it has become a common habit of most people to buy painkillers (painkillers) from the medical store and consume them as soon as they feel headache, toothache, body ache or slight pain in the joints. But these frequently taken over-the-counter (OTC) pills can harm your body’s most sensitive parts—Kidneys Can destroy silently.

Senior nephrologists (kidney specialists) say that kidney failure in many young and elderly patients coming to dialysis units and OPDs is being directly linked to excessive use of painkillers for a long time without medical advice. This situation in medical science Analgesic Nephropathy Where pain medications directly disrupt kidney function, it is called.

Most over the counter painkillers NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs) These include Diclofenac, Ibuprofen, Aceclofenac, Naproxen and Mefenamic Acid.

• Sudden interruption in blood flow: When you take NSAIDs, they block enzymes (COX-1 and COX-2) that cause pain and inflammation in the body. But along with this it also stops the formation of a chemical called ‘Prostaglandins’.

• The main function of prostaglandins is to dilate the blood vessels leading to the kidneys so that the kidneys receive adequate blood and oxygen.

• As soon as this chemical is blocked, the blood flow in the kidneys suddenly drops significantly.

• Drying of Filtering Nephrons: Due to continuous lack of blood, the microscopic filtering units (Glomeruli and Tubules) of the kidney start getting damaged, due to which toxins stop being filtered from the blood and the serum creatinine and urea levels start increasing rapidly.

Although uncontrolled use of painkillers can harm the kidneys of any healthy person, but for some sections it is as dangerous as poison:

• Diabetes and high blood pressure patients: The blood vessels in the kidneys of these patients are already under pressure, so even a single dose of painkiller can trigger ‘acute kidney injury’ (AKI).

• Elderly above 60 years of age: The GFR (filtering capacity) of the kidneys naturally decreases with age.

• Dehydration (lack of water) condition: When there is lack of water in the body or painkillers are taken after exposure to sunlight/vomiting and diarrhoea, its side effects on the kidneys increase manifold.

• Heart failure or liver cirrhosis patients: In such people, blood circulation is already weak, due to which the kidneys immediately become vulnerable to toxicity.

The scariest thing about analgesic nephropathy is that it does not show any obvious symptoms in the initial stages. By the time symptoms appear, 60 to 70 percent of the kidneys have become inactive. Still, keep an eye out for these signs:

• Edema appears in the feet, ankles and under the eyes in the morning.

• Decrease in the amount of urine or foamy urine.

• Extreme fatigue, weakness and loss of appetite without any effort.

• Persistent itching on the skin and a bitter or metallic taste in the mouth.

• Sudden uncontrolled increase in blood pressure.

Nephrologists clearly suggest that the root cause of pain should be treated rather than suppressing it:

• Paracetamol safer: Paracetamol for mild to moderate headache or body pain is considered to be significantly safer for the kidneys than NSAIDs in prescribed doses (maximum 2-3 grams a day) (provided there is no liver disease).

• Local ointments and compresses: In case of joint or back pain, instead of swallowing pills, use hot/cold compress, physiotherapy and pain-relieving gel or spray, because these do not dissolve in the blood and reach the kidneys directly.

• Do not take medicine for more than 3 days without consulting a doctor: If for some reason you have to take a painkiller, then take it in the lowest effective dose and never for more than 2-3 days continuously.

• Drink plenty of water while taking medicine: Never take painkillers on an empty stomach or in a state of dehydration; Drinking enough water reduces the effect of toxicity.