“What is the best pain reliever for diabetics?”

Tylenol and Ibuprofen are the most common over the counter pain medications. Please remember that Tylenol can cause liver problems and Ibuprofen can cause kidney problems. The best is to discuss directly with his endocrinologist.

People with diabetes tolerate pain meds about the same as people who do not have diabetes so any pain reliever is probably all right. All of them have some kind of side effects. Asparin is the most commonly used but it can cause gastro-intestinal bleeding and in small children, a form of heart disease. At 18 the latter probably will not occur. Acetominophen works well & has few side effects though it can cause liver or kidney damage if taken long term & high doses. There are many NSAID medications on the market & they work well with few side effects though like any drug they can have some I some people. A NSAID such as "Aleve" or others would be my first choice for him. Stay away from addicting pain relievers such as oxycontin & similar drugs as they are highly addicting. A simple pain reliever such as asparin, acetomeniphen (Tylenol) or NSAID would be best.

Great question. The best initial management for both the diabetes and the pain involved is weight loss and exercise. Other than that, there are a few medication on the market he can try. Please consult with his endocrinologist for further management.

Hello,

There are many important considerations for pain control in patients with diabetes, especially for type 1 diabetes, which is the most common type at a very young age. One, is the type of pain itself; neuropathic pain (from diabetic neuropathy) is effectively treated with medications such as gabapentin or pregabalin. For other (somatic) types of pain, one very important consideration is kidney function, as all common NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen, ketorolac, etc.) can affect kidney function both in the short and long term. In essence, the selection of pain medications depends on the individual complete clinical picture.

Thanks.

It depends on what type of pain. Is it neuropathic pain with tingling and biting in hands or feet or is it regular pain? Regular pain, would be treated the same way as in any person without diabetes, with ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Hope this answer helps.
Dr Marina Strizhevsky

There are no pain relievers specific to diabetes. As long as your son has good kidney and liver functions, which oftentimes can be a complication of uncontrolled diabetes, he can take over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen, alleve, or tylenol for pain.