Analgesic effect of aspirin, mefenamic acid and their combination in post-operative oral surgery pain.

A double-blind randomized single dose study of the analgesic effects of 650 mg aspirin, 250 mg mefenamic acid, the combination of 650 mg aspirin and 250 mg mefenamic acid and placebo on 120 patients with pain following oral surgery was conducted. Patients evaluated their pain intensity and extent of pain relief at 1, 2, 3 and 4 h after drug administration. For most parameters, including the sum of the pain intensity differences and the sum of the hourly pain relief scores, each of the drugs was more effective than placebo. Aspirin-mefenamic acid in combination was more effective than both drugs alone, and aspirin and mefenamic acid alone were equally effective for most of the analgesic variables.