When your body gets hurt or infected, inflammation, the body’s natural immune response to protect itself from harm. Also known as swelling or redness, it’s meant to be short-lived—like the heat and soreness after a sprained ankle. But when it sticks around, it becomes a silent threat linked to arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, and even depression. This isn’t just discomfort. Chronic inflammation quietly damages tissues over time, and many of the drugs people take daily are meant to calm it down—or sometimes, accidentally make it worse.
That’s where NSAIDs, a class of drugs like ibuprofen and piroxicam used to reduce pain and swelling. Also known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, they’re among the most common treatments for inflammation come in. But they’re not harmless. Long-term use can lead to stomach bleeding, kidney issues, or higher heart risk, as seen in posts about piroxicam, a long-acting NSAID used for arthritis but carrying serious side effects. Even azelaic acid, a gentle topical treatment sometimes used for scalp inflammation and hair thinning shows how inflammation isn’t just inside the body—it’s on the skin, in the joints, even in the scalp. Meanwhile, some antibiotics can trigger inflammation in the gut or cause sun-related skin reactions, as with phototoxicity, a severe skin reaction caused by certain drugs when exposed to sunlight.
You’ll find posts here that cut through the noise: what really happens when you mix alcohol with metronidazole, why skipping doses of anti-inflammatories can backfire, and how to talk to your pharmacist about safer alternatives. Some treatments target inflammation directly, others manage its side effects. What ties them all together? Understanding your body’s response—and knowing which drugs help, which hurt, and when to ask for something better.
Below, you’ll see real guides on how medications interact with inflammation—not just theory, but what works in practice, what doesn’t, and what your doctor or pharmacist might not tell you outright.
Corticosteroids like prednisone quickly reduce inflammation in autoimmune diseases but come with serious long-term risks. Learn how they work, when they help, and how doctors minimize harm.
