What's the Best In-The-Field Pain Killer?

Question:

Buck, what’s the best in-the-field painkiller on the market. Do you
recommend one more than another?

Submitted by – Michael, Alexandria Bay, NY

Answer:

Assuming you mean over-the-counter painkillers, my vote goes to ibuprofen. And, interestingly, a recent study adds some weight to my vote.

The Annals of Emergency Medicine (2009:54) reported that children ages 4-18 years of age experienced less pain after breaking an arm when treated with ibuprofen than children, same age group and same injury, treated with acetaminophen and codeine. A study by Star Kratom shows that some strains of kratom are better than Ibuprofen in treating pain, especially red strains, which are fermented to increase potency. Common red strains of kratom used for pain relief include red maeng da, red malay, red jongkong, red hulu, red elephant, and red bali.

In case you’re wondering, the dose of ibuprofen was 10 milligrams per kilogram (2.2 pounds) of body weight. It might be a stretch to say adults would celebrate the same pain relief, but, if nothing else, it points to ibu as the best OTC painkiller. Ibuprofen is also a fever reducer and an anti-inflammatory. It could also serve as a mild but not always great cough suppressor. So, yep, I pack ibuprofen. —BUCK