Aspirin: Not Just For Headaches Anymore.

It's been 100 years since the Bayer Company introduced aspirin. It was greeted as a miracle drug then and a century later, continues to astound scientists with its many health benefits.

Although best known for its role in relieving headache and other kinds of pain, studies over the past several decades have shown aspirin can play a role in helping to prevent and treat heart attacks and may reduce risk of colon cancer.

• How Aspirin Works
  The use of salicylates, the chemical root of aspirin, goes back to the 5th century B.C., when Hippocrates used the bark of the willow tree to treat fevers and pain. It's come a long way since.
• Potential Hazards
  Should you take one a day? Balance the benefits and risks.
• Aspirin Timeline
  Great moments in the history of America's favorite remedy.
• The Best Pain Reliever?
  Aspirin, acetaminophen or ibuprofen? It all depends on what ails you.