Pain relief balancing act

For people with heart disease, naproxen may be the best choice for easing pain.

Choices abound for easing the nagging pain of arthritis, a sore shoulder, bad back, or other ongoing problems. For this sort of long-term pain relief, most people reach for an over-the-counter painkiller like aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol, generic), ibuprofen (Motrin, generic), or naproxen (Aleve, generic). Some rely on prescription drugs such as celecoxib (Celebrex). A study supports the idea that one of these — naproxen — is easiest on the heart.