Editing Aspirin (section)

===Pain===

Aspirin is an effective analgesic for acute pain, although it is generally considered inferior to [[ibuprofen]] because aspirin is more likely to cause [[gastrointestinal bleeding]].<ref name=pmid15768621>{{cite journal | vauthors = Sachs CJ | title = Oral analgesics for acute nonspecific pain | journal = American Family Physician | volume = 71 | issue = 5 | pages = 913–8 | date = March 2005 | pmid = 15768621 }}</ref> Aspirin is generally ineffective for those pains caused by muscle [[cramp]]s, [[bloating]], [[gastric distension]], or acute skin irritation.<ref name=pmid14592563>{{cite journal | vauthors = Gaciong Z | title = The real dimension of analgesic activity of aspirin | journal = Thrombosis Research | volume = 110 | issue = 5–6 | pages = 361–4 | date = June 2003 | pmid = 14592563 | doi = 10.1016/j.thromres.2003.08.009 }}</ref> As with other NSAIDs, [[Compound analgesic|combinations]] of aspirin and [[caffeine]] provide slightly greater pain relief than aspirin alone.<ref name=pmid22419343>{{cite journal | vauthors = Derry CJ, Derry S, Moore RA | title = Caffeine as an analgesic adjuvant for acute pain in adults | journal = The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews | volume = 2014 | issue = 12 | pages = CD009281 | date = December 2014 | pmid = 25502052 | pmc = 6485702 | doi = 10.1002/14651858.CD009281.pub3 }}</ref> [[Effervescent]] formulations of aspirin relieve pain faster than aspirin in tablets,<ref name=pmid10868553>{{cite journal | vauthors = Hersh EV, Moore PA, Ross GL | title = Over-the-counter analgesics and antipyretics: a critical assessment | journal = Clinical Therapeutics | volume = 22 | issue = 5 | pages = 500–48 | date = May 2000 | pmid = 10868553 | doi = 10.1016/S0149-2918(00)80043-0 }}</ref> which makes them useful for the treatment of [[migraine]]s.<ref name=pmid18451718>{{cite journal | vauthors = Mett A, Tfelt-Hansen P | title = Acute migraine therapy: recent evidence from randomized comparative trials | journal = Current Opinion in Neurology | volume = 21 | issue = 3 | pages = 331–7 | date = June 2008 | pmid = 18451718 | doi = 10.1097/WCO.0b013e3282fee843 | s2cid = 44459366 }}</ref> [[Topical medication|Topical]] aspirin may be effective for treating some types of [[neuropathic pain]].<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Kingery WS | title = A critical review of controlled clinical trials for peripheral neuropathic pain and complex regional pain syndromes | journal = Pain | volume = 73 | issue = 2 | pages = 123–139 | date = November 1997 | pmid = 9415498 | doi = 10.1016/S0304-3959(97)00049-3 | s2cid = 10418793 }}</ref>

Aspirin, either by itself or in a combined formulation, effectively treats certain [[Headache#Classification|types of a headache]], but its efficacy may be questionable for others. Secondary headaches, meaning those caused by another disorder or trauma, should be promptly treated by a medical provider. Among primary headaches, the [[International Classification of Headache Disorders]] distinguishes between [[tension headache]] (the most common), migraine, and [[cluster headache]]. Aspirin or other over-the-counter analgesics are widely recognized as effective for the treatment of tension headaches.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Loder E, Rizzoli P | title = Tension-type headache | journal = BMJ | volume = 336 | issue = 7635 | pages = 88–92 | date = January 2008 | pmid = 18187725 | pmc = 2190284 | doi = 10.1136/bmj.39412.705868.AD }}</ref> Aspirin, especially as a component of an [[aspirin/paracetamol/caffeine]] [[combination drug|combination]], is considered a first-line therapy in the treatment of migraine, and comparable to lower doses of [[sumatriptan]]. It is most effective at stopping migraines when they are first beginning.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Gilmore B, Michael M | title = Treatment of acute migraine headache | journal = American Family Physician | volume = 83 | issue = 3 | pages = 271–80 | date = February 2011 | pmid = 21302868 }}</ref>