The most popular and universally used pain killers are Aspirin, Paracetemol and Ibuprofen. These can be bought under a wide range of brand names. There is another name for these drugs. Ibuprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug and, like Aspirin,and Paracetemol it is its ability to reduce inflammation which makes it effective in treating headaches, because it is inflammation which helps to generate the nerve signals we perceive as pain.
There are others as well of course which may be more appropriate for a particular patient and circumstance. One such is Acetaminophen. Acetaminophen should not be used at the same time as ibuprofen for relief of fevers. Acetaminophen appears to not interfere with the antiplatelet effect of low dose aspirin, and FDA is unaware of any interference by narcotic analgesics. Acetaminophen and ibuprofen have been compared in many published evaluations. Their efficacy has been comparable when given at maximum dosages.
