When pain strikes, you might be tempted to head to your local pharmacy or the nearest supermarket and grab a packet of pain relief to target the specific area that hurts.
But according to an NHS surgical doctor, this could be a waste of your money.
Dr Karan Rajan or Dr Karan Raj as he is more commonly known on TikTok has explained why he thinks pain killers for specific body parts like the head, back or targeting period pain are actually a "scam".
In a recent video, he responded to a question by a fellow user who asked: "What's a scam that's become so normalised we don't even realise it's a scam anymore?"
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Dr Raj replied: "So Nurofen which is basically ibuprofen and anti-inflammatory is selling a specific range for back pain, migraine, period pain. These companies are trying to sell body parts-specific pain relief, and that would be great. If it was true.
"All of these products contain the same ingredient. Ibuprofen is not a sentient being it just goes where the pain signals are. So the back pain one will work just as well as this headache one if the dose is the same."
He captioned his post writing: "FALSE ADVERTISING".
And in the comments, the expert added: "The only specific effect it'll have is on your wallet. Same ingredient will have the same effect at the same dose/delivery method."
The clip quickly went viral, garnering thousands of likes and comments as people were shocked - and some admitted they knew this already and it was why they just bought "generic ibuprofen".
One person said: "I once offered my friend the period pain tablets for his headache and he refused them."
Another wrote: "Thank you Dr for being so honest."
A third posted: "This is good to know. I will buy the cheapest one from now on."
While someone else added: "It's just placebo effect."
In another clip, Dr Raj also encouraged people to check the PL code on their tablets, as if the codes are the same on a branded packet and a generic one, then the ingredients are the same - and there's no need to buy the pricier version.
The Mirror contacted Reckitt, who produces Nurofen for comment on the doctor's claims. A spokesperson told the publication: "The Nurofen specific-pain range exists with the intention to help consumers navigate their pain relief options, particularly within the grocery environment where there is no healthcare professional to assist decision making.
"All Nurofen products provide on the packaging and in the patient information leaflet details which clarifies appropriate use for a variety of pain indications. As with any medication, we recommend our consumers to carefully follow the instructions provided on the pack and in the leaflet and speak to their healthcare professional if they have any questions."
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