Analgesics"An aspirin a day keeps the doctor away." While this saying may be true, it is not just aspirin that cures life's aches and pains, but many other types of painkillers as well. There is a wide variety of painkillers. More commonly known as painkillers. Narcotic analgesics act on the central nervous system and modify the user's perception; they are most often used for severe pain and can cause the user to develop an addiction. Non-narcotic pain relievers, known as over-the-counter or over-the-counter medications, target the site of pain. These do not create tolerance or addiction and do not change the user's perception. Over-the-counter medications are most commonly used every day to treat mild pain. Many people want to treat familiar aches and pains, such as toothaches or headaches, themselves. To treat these types of symptoms, OTCs are used. There are three main types of over-the-counter medications. They are as follows: · Aspirin (salicylic acid acetate) is an anti-inflammatory (decreases swelling and inflammation), antipyretic (reduces fever), and antiplatelet (decreases platelets in the body to thin the blood). Many heart patients take an aspirin daily to prevent blood clotting. However, if aspirin is taken in large quantities for long periods of time, it can cause stomach ulcers or other internal damage. The molecular formula of aspirin is C9H8O4. Some examples of aspirin are Bayer, Ecotrin and Aspergum. · Ibuprofen (propionic acid) is an anti-inflammatory and antipyretic. It is often used to treat arthritis, dental pain, menstrual pain, headaches, migraines, and back pain. Ibuprofen works by reducing the levels of prostaglandesis (pain-causing substances) in the body. This medication is gentler on the stomach than aspirin. The molecular formula of ibuprofen is C13H18O2. Some examples of ibuprofen are Motrin, Advil, and Nuprin. · Paracetamol (acetaminophen) is an alternative to aspirin. It is also an anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and antiplatelet. Paracetamol is much less likely to cause intestinal side effects than aspirin, however an overdose of this drug can cause serious liver poisoning. The molecular formula of paracetamol is C8H9NO2. Some examples of acetaminophen are Tylenol, Midol, and Panadol. Each of these over-the-counter pain relievers has different side effects and purposes, but they all share three common elements. These elements are Carbon (atomic number 6, atomic mass 12.011), Hydrogen (atomic number 1, atomic mass 1.0079), and Oxygen (atomic number 8, atomic mass 15.999). Looking at the molecular formulas of each type of over-the-counter pain reliever, these three common elements form the basis of each chemical compound.