Cure8 research brief
OTC painkiller use is very common among people with IBD, and those with recent disease activity are more likely to use them frequently and to take them specifically for IBD-related pain. Knowing this can help clinicians ask about pain and OTC medicine use and guide safer, targeted pain management.
Adult patients with IBD, gastroenterology clinicians, and clinic staff involved in medication reconciliation or pain management.
The researchers developed and tested a questionnaire and analyzed responses from 216 patients seen in a gastroenterology clinic (Nov 2025–Feb 2026). Paracetamol was the predominant OTC analgesic across IBD types and activity levels.
Although OTC use was common even when disease was inactive, patients with recent active disease were more likely to report frequent use and to cite IBD as a reason for taking analgesics. Implications: The authors highlight the need for clinicians to ask about OTC analgesic use and consider targeted pain management when disease is active.
The study does not test interventions or compare safety outcomes of different analgesics, so it should not be taken as evidence about which pain medicines are safest in IBD.
Study scope note: The report is based on a single-center questionnaire study in Denmark with 216 respondents; findings describe self-reported use and associations, not causal effects or clinical outcomes.
This is a cross-sectional questionnaire study from a single Danish outpatient clinic (216 participants). It reports self-reported use and associations by disease activity but does not provide safety data or test treatments. Paracetamol was the predominant OTC analgesic.
Review the original publication for the complete reporting, methods, and context.
This Cure8 brief is based on source text from the linked article. Cure8 is informational only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
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