Aspirins

Aspirin allergy question?

when i was younger, my nose used to bleed quite often, and later on a doctor told me i should not take aspirin because it thins the blood and may cause nose bleeds. whenever i had the flu as a kid, if i'd take any pill that contained aspirin. i would end up bleeding from the nose, so i decided to never take the drug again. Now i am 20 and am aware that my capillaries are very thin - i still respect the advice of not taking aspirin, even though i havent had a nose-bleed in a very long time. i've also read that if you are allergic to aspirin, then you pretty much are allergic to any NSAIDs, yet i've been taking ibuprofen for years (instead of aspirin) and it didn't cause any nose-bleeds. Then i am asking, if i can't take any NSAIDs, what CAN i take for pain relief? I have headaches often so i need to take something. when i was a kid my doctor told me i should avoid taking aspirin because im allergic to it and it causes nosebleeds. aspirin IS a NSAID as far as i know, even though not all NSAIDs are salicylates.

Public Comments

1. Aspirin can cause excessive bleeding... Hence the reason doctors say never take it as pain relief after surgery... Also hence the reason it can be used as a first line assistance to a heart attack involving a blockage. You would be best to consult with your doctor prior to taking any aspirin once again and do this under medical consultation & direction.
2. Ok, nowhere in your story did I hear anything about an aspirin allergy. What you said was that your nose would bleed when you took it. Anyway, for nonaspirin pain relief take Tylenol and its related preparations for cold, flu, sinus when you need them. NSAIDs arent the same as aspirin either, as evidenced by your ability to take Ibuprophen without nosebleeds. Good Luck
3. Androgyne: A bleeding nose is not the result of being allergic to aspirin, it is because you are sensitive to aspirin. Two very different things. In a true allergy, the immune system mis-identifies proteins and causes the production of the human immunoglobulin IgE. The resultant histamine causes all sorts of symptoms from sneezing to asthma and anaphylatic shock. Sensitivity is where your body does not react well to a substance (for any number of reasons) but the immune system is not involved. A simple blood test can detect the presence of IgE, and no diagnosis of allergy can be made if this is not done. What you are describing is a sensitivity to aspirin because of its blood thinning properties. You should avoid asprin. Allergy or not, you should never take aspirin for flu symptoms due to the risk of Rye Syndrome. If you get a fever or need something for aches and pains, try one of the many non-aspirin pain relievers. Doesn't have to be name brand Tylenol, store brand generic will work just as well. That being said, I encourage you to investigate the reason for the frequent headaches. Headaches are not a nautral thing and you shouldn't be having them frequently. Rule out eyestrain, stress, sinus problems, etc. If at 20, you are a college student, you also need to be aware of your diet. The combination of poor diet and stress can also cause headaches as well as lack of sleep. Hope this helps and gives you some other things to think about.