Study: Women use over-the-counter painkillers more often than men

Just over 4,000 people were surveyed - of these, 15 percent stated that they take painkillers every week.

Use is particularly common among women, with one in five taking painkillers weekly. Barely one in ten men report the same.

One reason may be that migraines are more common in women, Apotek Hjärtat's chief pharmacist Annika Svedberg tells GP.

But it's probably also because women have menstrual cramps.

Both Svedberg and Edman believe that you should not hesitate to take painkillers if you are in pain, but warn against overuse.

If you take painkillers too often, you can get a headache, Edman says.