The three OTC analgesic classes

OTC analgesics and antipyretics relieve mild-to-moderate pain and reduce inflammation and fever. They are effective for somatic pain (musculoskeletal, headache, myalgia, dysmenorrhea) but not visceral pain (stomach, lungs, heart). Salicylates and NSAIDs reduce pain, inflammation, and fever, but acetaminophen is generally effective only for pain and fever. Awareness of pain occurs in the thalamus; recognition/localization in the cortex.

📖 “OTC analgesics: somatic (not visceral) pain. Salicylates + NSAIDs = pain/inflammation/fever; acetaminophen = pain/fever only.”