Excedrin, Motrin, Tylenol, Asprin, Aleve and others...How to Choose the Right OTC Pain Reliever?

My 17 year old daughter seems to be allergic to Excedrin, Advil & Motrin. It seems whenever she takes any of these within 2-3 hours her eyelids swell up and sometimes her lips will swell. What should she take for headaches? It seems that Tylenol is off the shelves for some reason. Any ideas?

I just want to add that ibuprofen can irritate your stomach. Because I have acid reflux issues, I tend to take acetaminophen instead when I have a headache, muscle cramps, etc.

Here is some information regarding the different types of the most common OTC pain-relievers:

Fever-reducers:
- NSAIDs (include ibuprofen [Motrin], naproxen [Aleve] and aspirin)
- Acetaminophen (Tylenol)

Relieve pain from muscle aches, headaches, toothaches, menstrual cramps:
- NSAIDs
- Acetaminophen

Reduce inflammation
- Only NSAIDs

How they work:
- NSAIDs relieve pain by reducing the production of prostaglandins, which are hormone-like substances that cause pain.
- Acetaminophen works on the parts of the brain that receive the "pain messages." They are easier on the stomach, and are recommended more often for use by children.

This is a great article on Consumer Health and pain medications at the Mayo Clinic website, and discusses different types of pain medications, as well as their forms (capsule, gel, tablet) and other factors to consider (inactive ingredients), as well as the combination medications (Excedrin is a combination of acetaminophen, caffeine and other ingredients).

There are certain health conditions and risks associated with these OTC (over-the-counter) pain relievers, and you can read about them below:
-FDA Medication Guide for NSAIDs
-FDA Acetaminophen Health Bulletin

Lastly, the generic versions or store-brand names of all of these pain relievers are just as good as the brand names I provided above, but cost a lot less!