Many over-the-counter ache medicines can be found, however are all of them the identical? And the way a lot do you have to actually take?
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When hit with a headache or fever, individuals usually attain for over-the-counter painkillers like acetaminophen or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicine (NSAIDs) as their first line of protection.
Used appropriately, these medicine might be secure and efficient for ache aid. Meaning following the directions on the label and the recommendation of a well being care supplier.
“However that is not how we take these medicines in actual life,” says Trisha Pasricha, a doctor and teacher at Harvard Medical College. Some individuals take an excessive amount of ache medicine too rapidly, misdiagnose an ailment and take the fallacious drug, or unknowingly take a number of ache relievers on the similar time.
One examine revealed in 2018, for instance, discovered that 15% of over 1,300 survey members exceeded every day NSAID dosages, and most members did not acknowledge that every one the merchandise they had been taking had been NSAIDs.
These behaviors can result in critical unwanted side effects, from bloating and nausea all the way in which as much as coronary heart assault and stroke, Pasricha says.
To stop these dangers, the well being care professionals we spoke to for this story say it is essential to get to know the painkillers in your drugs cupboard. Listed below are 10 issues they want you knew about these medicine.
1. Acetaminophen is often the higher alternative for fevers, says College of California San Francisco (UCSF) scientific pharmacist Sweet Tsourounis. Generally referred to as Tylenol, it is thought to scale back fever and relieve minor aches and pains by elevating your physique’s ache threshold and regulating your physique temperature. It is also gentler on the physique than NSAIDs are.
2. NSAIDs are typically thought of more practical than acetaminophen for ache aid, Tsourounis says, particularly for inflammatory ache like muscle aches. Whereas acetaminophen is assumed to work solely on the central nervous system, NSAIDs comparable to aspirin, ibuprofen (like Advil or Motrin) or naproxen (like Aleve) work all through the physique to scale back irritation, ache and fever.
3. Taking an excessive amount of acetaminophen at one time or too many doses shut collectively may cause liver harm, Tsourounis says. So stick to three,000 milligrams of the drug at most per day, and do not combine it with alcohol, which can be exhausting on the liver.
4. NSAIDs carry dangers to the intestine and the guts. Widespread unwanted side effects embrace abdomen ache, heartburn and bloating. You too can expertise extra critical harm like ulcers, gastrointestinal bleeding or kidney harm if you happen to take NSAIDs at too excessive a dose and even only for too lengthy a time interval, Pasricha says. And non-aspirin NSAIDs have the potential to lift your blood stress. Each NSAID has a special max dose, so take note of your labels.
5. If you happen to’re unsure which painkiller to make use of or how a lot to take, speak to a pharmacist, says Blamoh Twegbe, pharmacy supervisor at UCSF outpatient pharmacy. “Please make the most of us. That is what we’re right here for!” They may help you make an knowledgeable determination by asking about your sort of ache and power circumstances and by checking any potential drug interactions.
6. There is a restrict to how a lot ache NSAIDs can deal with, Pasricha says. If you happen to take greater than the advisable dosage or multiple sort of NSAID directly — for instance, combining Motrin and Aleve — you are growing your danger of unwanted side effects with out getting any further ache aid. If you happen to really feel your over-the-counter (OTC) medicine aren’t working, speak to a physician or pharmacist as a substitute of ignoring the warning label.
If you happen to’re usually taking the identical over-the-counter ache medicines, speak to your physician about alternate options that may higher tackle your signs.
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7. If you happen to’re habitually reaching for a similar OTC ache medicine, speak to your well being care supplier. For instance, if you happen to’re taking naproxen day by day of your interval each month due to muscle cramps. Pasricha says that ache may sign a bigger underlying well being drawback that may very well be higher handled with prescription medicine, life-style modifications or each.
8. Watch out for unintentionally overmedicating with a mixture OTC medicine. Acetaminophen and NSAIDs are sometimes included in plenty of different sick-day treatments, like migraine medicine, allergy drugs or all-in-one chilly and flu medicines, Twegbe says. So if you’re not feeling nicely, double-check your labels earlier than assuming you want a dose of Tylenol on high of these cold-relief meds.
Alternating between acetaminophen and an NSAID like ibuprofen might be secure and efficient for ache administration.
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9. Alternate between NSAIDs and acetaminophen to handle main ache and cut back unwanted side effects. If you happen to’re affected by the flu or nursing a brand new damage and want robust and regular ache aid, switching between acetaminophen and an NSAID like ibuprofen each few hours is usually a secure and efficient manner that can assist you cope till your signs subside, Twegbe says. Simply make certain to observe advisable dosages and dosing instances for every medicine.
10. Suppose past drugs.  As a result of over-the-counter ache relievers are so available, individuals usually overlook that drugs aren’t the one choice when affected by minor aches and pains, Pasricha says. Many NSAIDs and different analgesics can be found in topical type, like lotions or patches, and may supply related aid with out the potential unwanted side effects to your intestine.
There are additionally nonmedication treatments, like heating pads to ease again ache or exercising in water for arthritis. Speak to your physician about your alternate options, Pasricha says. “They could even management your ache extra reliably than simply taking drugs.”
The digital story was edited by Malaka Gharib. The visible editor is Beck Harlan. We would love to listen to from you. Depart us a voicemail at 202-216-9823, or electronic mail us at LifeKit@npr.org.
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