Individuals who took over-the-counter pain relievers after sustaining a concussion recovered more quickly than those who did not, according to a preliminary study. The findings will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 77th Annual Meeting.
In the preliminary study, published by the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) and conducted by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the U.S. Department of Defense CARE Consortium, researchers analyzed recovery times in NCAA athletes and military cadets and found that individuals who took over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen were 20% more likely to experience a faster recovery compared with those who did not take medications. At the 50% recovery benchmark, individuals taking pain relievers were cleared an average of 2 days earlier, while at the 90% recovery threshold, they were cleared 7 days earlier.
“These results are exciting as there are limited treatment options for concussion, and [OTC] pain relievers are readily available and inexpensive,” said lead study author Kyle Arnold, MD, of the University of Washington and a member of the AAN, and colleagues. “If these results can be confirmed by a controlled study, they could guide us to possible treatment options for people after a concussion."
The researchers evaluated 1,661 participants, with 813 taking OTC pain relievers and 848 abstaining. Those who took pain relievers were also 15% more likely to experience symptom resolution more quickly. At 50% recovery, pain reliever users reported no symptoms 1 day sooner than nonusers, and at 90% recovery, they had no symptoms 3 days sooner. Additionally, they demonstrated lower symptom severity scores, particularly for headache intensity.
The timing of medication use also correlated with recovery speed. Individuals who began taking pain relievers on the first day of injury returned to full activity approximately 8 days earlier at the 50% recovery benchmark compared with those who initiated medication use 5 or more days postinjury.
The type of pain reliever—whether acetaminophen or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)—did not appear to impact recovery time significantly.
“Early medication use appeared to be linked to shorter recovery times, but these findings require further validation through controlled trials,” the study authors explained. “In the meantime, these preliminary results may help inform potential treatment options for [individuals] recovering from concussions, but additional studies are needed to provide more definitive recommendations,” they concluded.
The study was funded by the NCAA, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the University of Washington Institute of Translational Health Sciences.
