While most of these medicines are safe for occasional use, their heavy or long term use may harm the kidneys. An estimated 8 to 10 percent of the new cases of chronic kidney failure each year may be caused by overuse of these medicines. However, kidney disease related to analgesic use is preventable. It is important to realize that, while helpful, these medicines are not completely without risk, and they should be used carefully.
Analgesics are medicines that help control pain and to reduce fever.
Some of these medicines are also available in mixtures such as aspirin and acetaminophen in one pill, which may also have other added ingredients like codeine or caffeine. The added ingredients are usually not harmful alone, but may contribute to risk of kidney disease when taken in analgesic combinations. I have heard that analgesics can hurt your kidneys. If you are concerned about this, ask your doctor. When taken as directed, regular use of aspirin does not seem to increase the risk of kidney disease in people who have normal kidney function.