Taking painkiller for every ache? Nephrologist warns your kidneys may be in danger

What do painkillers do to your kidneys? Know from an expert about all questions revolving kidney health and painkillers.

Grabbing a painkiller without a medical prescription for any inconvenience, period pain, headaches, or general body pain is very common and has almost become an instinct. But this pursuit of quick relief comes at a greater cost, affecting one of the most vital organs of the body, the kidneys, initially without any immediate warning signs.

Let's understand how this casual habit of popping painkillers at every minor discomfort can affect your kidneys. Nephrologist Dr Manan Doshi from Sahyadri Speciality Hospital, Deccan, weighed in on the repercussions, calling it a growing ‘painkiller problem,' and answered some important questions.

The doctor alerted that it has become an invisible threat, strongly voicing against the widespread and unsupervised use of over-the-counter painkillers. The casual attitude towards painkillers needs a medical reality check for good reasons.

Which painkillers cause kidney-related issues?

Which painkillers cause problems? “The primary culprits in medication-related kidney damage are Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) — diclofenac, ibuprofen, and naproxen being the most commonly consumed,” the nephrologist said, naming the painkillers responsible. It is alarming how a large section of the population may be putting their kidneys at risk due to the overuse and unsupervised consumption of these painkillers, without being aware of the potential long-term complications.

What do painkillers do to your kidneys?

Overuse of painkillers can trigger Acute Kidney Injury.

It is important to understand what happens inside your body when you take a painkiller. You may only focus on the pain and how effectively the medication numbs it. But in the process, it can directly interfere with the kidneys' function, meaning that the short-term relief may come at the cost of majorly disturbing a vital organ.

The nephrologist elaborated how painkillers work and what they do to you: “The drugs work by inhibiting prostaglandins, chemical mediators that maintain adequate blood flow to the kidneys. When this pathway is blocked, blood flow to the kidneys drops, and Acute Kidney Injury can follow, sometimes within days.”

Acute Kidney Injury is one of the consequences that frequent painkiller users may face.

The most vulnerable are those people who already have weaker kidneys or are not functioning at full capacity. The doctor noted that the damage can be irreversible.

Can taking hypertension medicines with painkillers worsen kidney health?

Blood pressure medicines, along with painkillers, may cause extensive damage to the kidneys. (Picture credit: Pexel)

Responding to this question, the doctor referred to something known as the ‘triple whammy,’ which occurs when a person takes a diuretic (such as Lasix or Dytor), along with a blood pressure medication (such as telmisartan, enalapril, or ramipril, calling it a ‘well-recognised danger' in nephrology. Each of these drugs on its own can slightly reduce blood flow to the kidneys, but when combined, the danger increases because they collectively reduce the blood flow sharply, putting sudden stress on the kidneys and significantly increasing the risk of serious damage. This is particularly dangerous because many people have comorbidities like diabetes, hypertension, or early-stage kidney disease and are already on medications that affect kidney blood flow. Adding a painkiller on top of this can further increase the risk.

What are some painkiller safety rules?

Here are some of the rules the neurologist shared:

1. Use the lowest effective dose of any painkiller for the shortest time necessary.
2. If afflicted with hypertension, diabetes, or known kidney disease, avoid OTC NSAIDs unless your doctor explicitly advises otherwise.
3. For joint or muscle pain, paracetamol at recommended doses, or a topical NSAID gel applied directly to the skin, offer better relief with lesser kidney-related risks.
4. If an oral painkiller is unavoidable, drink adequate water.
5. If on blood pressure tablets or water tablets, speak to doctor before adding any painkiller.
6. Pain that persists beyond three to five days warrants a doctor's evaluation, not a higher dose.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.