Why is aspirin so effective in such a multitude of uses?

It revolves around the medical wonders of a simple chemical compound, acetylsalicylic acid. As the active ingredient in aspirin, acetylsalicylic acid works by inhibiting several different chemical processes within the body, including the natural physiological processes causing pain and inflammation.

Aspirin relieves pain

By inhibiting production of chemicals called prostaglandins, aspirin works to diminish the body's response to a chain of chemical processes that eventually leads to pain. This mechanism of action works on a cellular level and wasn't discovered until 1971, more than 70 years after aspirin had been on the market.

Aspirin can relieve inflammation

Not only is aspirin highly effective for pain relief, but, when used under a doctor's care, it can also provide an additional benefit - the ability to reduce inflammation and swelling associated with injury, or even arthritis. Evidence indicates prostaglandins are also active in inflamed tissue. Since aspirin blocks prostaglandin production, tissue inflammation is reduced and swelling is relieved.