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Beer Is Better Pain Reliever Than Tylenol, Study Finds

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Got a few aches and pains? Before you head to the medicine cabinet and reach for those over-the-counter painkillers, consider drinking a few beers.

A new study, led by Dr. Trevor Thompson from the University of Greenwich, and published in The Journal of Pain, suggests that throwing back a few cold ones actually relieves your pain better than Tylenol.

The study, reported by Lifehacker, found that raising your blood alcohol content to the legal limit of .08%, or about three or four beers deep, elevates your pain threshold significantly. The research involved 18 studies and more than 400 participants. It looked at the effect of different dosages of alcohol on subject pain response.

READ: Cheers! Men Need To Drink With Friends Twice A Week To Stay Healthy, Study Finds

Based on his research, Thompson concluded alcohol is an effective analgesic (or pain reliever) that "delivers clinically-relevant reductions in ratings of pain intensity." He says the study "could explain alcohol misuse in those with persistent pain despite its potential consequences for long-term health."

Anyone who's ever taken a spill during a night of drinking probably isn't too surprised by the findings. Nothing seems to hurt as much when you're intoxicated.

The research is not meant to be used as an excuse to drink every time something is hurting you. Sure, throwing back a six-pack might help you feel better in the short-term, but how do you remedy that hangover headache that follows?

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