Using Painkillers
The common class of over-the-counter pain medications, including ibuprofen and aspirin, are used to treat mild to moderate aches and pains. These drugs are known as NSAIDs, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
The use of NSAIDs has been shown to have an adverse effect on patients with bowel disorders such as Crohn’s because they promote thinning of the blood and can be rough on the digestive tract, two factors which may cause or promote gastrointestinal bleeding.
Acetaminophen, commonly known under the brand Tylenol, is also a common painkiller that is not an NSAID. However, acetaminophen works differently and has rarely been found to be effective against the inflammation caused by Crohn’s disease.