Clinical Definition

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, or NSAIDs, are commonly recommended to relieve pain and decrease inflammation (the body’s response to injury or irritation, marked by warmth, pain, swelling). They work by blocking production of inflammatory triggers. Besides helping to reduce fever, subdue a headache or ease minor aches caused by a cold, NSAIDs are often used to treat pain in a variety of conditions such as osteoarthritis, backaches, dental pain, gout and menstrual cramps.

In Our Own Words

NSAIDs, as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are usually called, can ease fever and pain caused by a number of conditions. They block the action of certain chemical signals in the body that lead to the production of inflammation (pain and swelling).