Inflammation is a localized reddening and swelling of body tissues due to an infection or injury. People who are at risk of developing blood clots from other conditions are usually given blood thinners to save their lives. However, what can people on blood thinners take for inflammation should be decided with care. Keep in mind that a bad mix can be fatal. We have prepared a few tips to help you handle this conveniently and safely.
Types of Blood Thinners
Depending on your preference, blood thinners can be found in two main categories. One of the types is blood thinners that interact with platelets and stop the formation of blood clots. Drugs such as aspirin which fall under this category are collectively known as antiplatelet. The second category of blood thinners is known as anticoagulants. Drugs like Coumadin decrease in this class and work by increasing the time it takes for the platelets to form a clot. Although the two categories of medications can help save lives, they may also expose you to excessive bleeding. The situation could be made worse by NSAIDs because they interfere with clotting in the digestion tract.
What Is a Bad Mix?
Once you start using blood thinners, you should be careful with the kind of painkillers you take. Nonsteroidal analgesics anti-inflammatory drugs, commonly referred to as NSAIDs, are particularly dangerous when used with blood thinners. However, this danger staring at people has not stopped them from combining the drugs anyway. Older people are at a higher risk of contracting diseases such as arthritis when they combine the two drugs. Therefore, they are advised not to take blood thinners alongside NSAIDs. Young people, on the other hand, can take their chances, but it is not recommended still.
What Are the Available Options?
You don’t have many options if you are already taking blood thinners. However, if the pain is unbearable, you can try physical therapy to ease it. Most people complain of muscle and joint pain during the latter stages of using blood thinners. Painkillers are also among your options, but they must be taken sparingly, more so in the case of older people. Additionally, analgesics should be discontinued as soon as the symptoms are managed. Most importantly, consult your doctor before deciding to go for any of the options mentioned.
What to Be Cautious About
You may be busy avoiding NSAIDs, yet you’ve been taking them unknowingly. Sometimes these drugs are contained in other substances, but they are not included among the ingredients. Such hidden NSAIDs could be more dangerous than the ones you know. Reason? You can’t say if you took a more significant dose.
Additionally, the chances are that you will not stop taking the substance or drug that contains the pills. You don’t even know they are there in the first place. Luckily, your doctor may be able to identify which substances may have it and which ones may not. That is why it is highly recommended that you consult your doctor every time you want to take blood thinners.
Conclusion
In conclusion, what can people on blood thinners take for inflammation is dependent on two main factors. The most important ones are the person’s age and severity of the symptoms. Although there is a lot of information on how to go about it safely, your doctor’s opinion should always come first. That is because their experience with medication put them in a better position to know what works and what doesn’t. Most importantly, don’t be afraid to take risks significantly if your condition is deteriorating fast. However, if anything goes wrong, don’t hesitate to run to your doctor. But before you do that, consider some home remedies like taking the lowest dosage possible of available painkillers.
