One third of 18 to 24-year-old Britons take painkillers on a daily basis, according to a new survey.
The study revealed that 33 per cent of young Britons take pain medication every day while 32 per cent would take a painkiller within 20 minutes of experiencing pain.
The survey, by Tiger Balm, also found that the most common reason for taking a painkiller is a tension headache.
This could be explained by the fact that 41 per cent of the young people interviewed believe that their generation is under more stress than any other.
One third of 18 to 24-year-old Britons take painkillers on a daily basis, according to a new survey
The survey also revealed confusion about how painkillers reduce pain. When asked how they understood painkillers to work, 40 per cent of under 25s believed they only ‘mask’ the pain rather than tackle it directly.
The findings are concerning doctors as taking more than the maximum daily recommended dose of paracetamol can damage a person's liver.
This is especially problematic in young people as the impact of painkillers on the liver is increased by drinking alcohol.
It is also believed that taking ibuprofen regularly may cause stomach ulcers.
Experts have warned that many young people could actually be giving themselves headaches by taking too many painkillers - a condition known as rebound headaches - which can trigger painkiller abuse.
The risk of this is highest for those taking aspirin, ibuprofen or paracetamol at least every other day to treat headaches or another sources of pain.
There are also fears that young people may not realise that products such as cold and flu remedies contain paracetamol, so they end up having a double dose. #
Research released late last year found that more than 62 million prescriptions are written annually on the NHS, a 30 per cent rise in only five years.
Figures show another six billion pills were bought over the counter last year, with sales growing at 4.1 per cent annually.
But there are concerns that tens of thousands of adults – mainly women – are addicted to the drugs, having initially taken them to ease a minor ailment.
The study revealed that 32 per cent of young Britons take a painkiller within 20 minutes of experiencing pain and the most common cause is a headache
And this week, a leading expert spoke out about the dangers of taking co-codamol, an opioid painkiller, which can be highly addictive.
The drug, which contains paracetamol and codeine, creates a feeling of calm and well-being which can be addictive, especially for women.
The problem is so severe that GP Dr Des Spence, from Glasgow, is calling for urgent research into the scale of the issue.
However, co-codamol is not the only painkiller that comes with a health warning.
Doctors have been told to stop prescribing diclofenac to people with heart conditions or circulation problems.
It is believed that the drug can increase a patient's risk of having a heart attack or a stroke.
As a result, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency said that it should not be given to people with serious underlying heart conditions.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2375076/Generation-painkiller-Alarming-new-figures-33-18-24-year-olds-painkillers-EVERY-DAY.html#ixzz2ZtTizUWV
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