Most people's relationship to pain is complicated. First, the ability to tolerate pain seems to differ from person to person. For example, in the aftermath of identical dental procedures, one person may hurry back to work while another heads home and goes to bed because the pain is too intense. Second, while some people find that over-the-counter analgesics are satisfactory, for other people the pain relief that's available over the counter is sometimes simply not enough.

Not surprisingly, different countries have different regulations when it comes to what constitutes an over-the-counter medicine and which drugs require a prescription. In New Zealand, for example, effective pain relief can be found in an over-the-counter product called Nurofen Plus, which contains both ibuprofen and codeine. Specifically, it contains 200 mg of ibuprofen and 12.8 mg of codeine phosphate. An added benefit is that it doesn't contain gluten, wheat, lactose, sucrose, or preservatives.

Ibuprofen is both an analgesic and an anti-inflammatory medicine. When it's combined with codeine, you can get powerful temporary relief from both the pain and inflammation associated with a variety of types of headaches (both tension and migraine, for example), dental pain, back and neck pain, neuralgia, rheumatic and arthritic pain, muscular pain, and pain related to sports injuries. For women, the combination is particularly effective for cramps related to menstruation.

The typical Nurofen Plus dosage is two tablets taken initially, followed by one or two tablets every four hours, but not to exceed six tablets within a 24-hour period. As with any medications, Nurofen Plus has contraindications. For example, you should not take the medicine if you have a stomach disorder, stomach ulcers, kidney problems, or heart problems. Likewise, if you have allergies to ibuprofen, aspirin, anti-inflammatory medication, or codeine, the product isn't for you. As is always the case, you should check with your doctor about the potential for drug interactions with any other medications you are currently taking.

Although Nurofen Plus is semi-regulated, in that there is a limit to the number of tablets that can be purchased, it is sold online and shipped worldwide. Many people have experienced the analgesic benefits of the product, which are more pronounced because Nurofen Plus contains 12.8 mg of codeine phosphate, considered a controlled substance in many countries.

When you've experienced a sports injury, or suffer from nerve pain, headaches, or arthritis, you may not need a full-strength prescription painkiller, yet you need more than plain ibuprofen. When that's the case, Nurofen Plus can give you the temporary relief you need until you recover.