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Dear Justin:
Got a pounding headache? Or maybe you've just been kicked in the ankle by a teammate during soccer
practice. To help you get over these minor aches and pains, your parent will probably give you a
pain reliever. And if you're one of many people whose stomachs are too sensitive to aspirin,
chances are you'll swallow one of two "aspirin substitutes:" ibuprofen (say:
eye-byoo-pro-fen)--like Advil--or acetaminophen (say: uh-see-toe-min-oh-fen)--like Tylenol.
But what happens once that pain reliever gets into your system? Since the pain goes away from
the exact spot that hurts, it may seem like it travels straight to your head or ankle. But in
reality, the pain reliever works with your cells, your body's nerve endings, your nervous system
and your brain to prevent you from feeling the pain.
Deep within your skin and body tissues are nerve endings, some of which can sense pain--either
from a sharp change in temperature (like if you burn your finger on a stove), or from pressure on a
body part (like that kick to your ankle). When your body's cells get injured, they release a
chemical called prostaglandin (say: prah-sti-glan-din), which can have a powerful effect on the
special nerve endings that detect pain. The nerve endings react to the prostaglandin by picking up
and sending the messages of pain and injury through the nervous system and to the brain. Once the
brain finds out where the pain is and how much it hurts, it responds with a yelp!
Ibuprofen and acetaminophen, however, prevent damaged cells from releasing prostaglandin.
Without this chemical, the brain won't get messages of pain as quickly or clearly. And, as a
result, your pain either goes away or becomes less intense.
Signed,
Wendell
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