Effective pain relief (Paracetamol)

Member Name: star500

Product:	Paracetamol
Date:	06/02/01 (1140 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap, widely available, helps to take down a temperature, , Widely available, helps to take down a temperature , Gentle on the stomach

Disadvantages: Have to be very careful to take the correct dosage, does not have anti-inflammatory properties so may not help with all muscular pain

It seems that every month now, there is a new type of medicinal product on the market. Quite a few of these are painkillers to help with headaches and general aches and pains and it has come to a point that when you walk into a pharmacy, you are faced with rows and rows of products and don't know which ones to choose.

Perhaps if we paid a little more attention to what the ingredients are then we wouldn?t be so confused and wouldn't spend so much money each month on expensive brands when a generic product is all that is needed.

At the moment, in this country, there are four main painkillers used for over-the-counter (OTC) sale. These are:

* Paracetamol
* Aspirin
* Ibuprofen
* Codeine

Most painkilling products contain one or more of the above ingredients.

Paracetamol is found in many products such as popular cold and flu remedies, specific migraine treatments and products for general aches and pains. In some products it is found in combination with other ingredients but you can buy generic paracetamol in your local chemist or supermarket with prices starting at around 25p for sixteen. Larger packs of thirty two can only be bought in a pharmacy for around 60p depending on where you shop and whether you want standard tablets or easy to swallow caplets or capsules.


~ But why is paracetamol so widely used?


** Well, first of all it is cheap to manufacture and secondly it works for many people. It has both analgesic (pain-killing) and antipyretic (temperature lowering) properties and thus us ideal for headache, fever and general mild pain.

** It does not cause drowsiness and thus is safe for drivers or those operating machinery to take.

** It is gentle on the stomach. This means that it is less likely to irritate if taken on an empty stomach. It is also more suitable than aspirin or ibuprofen for those with stomach ulcers (but always check with your doctor

or pharmacist first).

** Liquid paracetamol can be given to babies from the age of three months and upwards (or younger if prescribed by a doctor). The most common brand is Calpol although some pharmacy chains do have their own brand which is usually cheaper to buy.

** There are few interactions with other medicines. Generally paracetamol is safe to take with most prescription drugs but you should always consult your doctor or ask the pharmacist before purchasing it especially if you are already taking painkillers as you may inadvertently end up taking too much.

** It can be combined with other ingredients such as codeine. Combining paracetamol with codeine increases the painkilling capabilities and these tablets are usually known as Co-codamol. The lower strength (500mg paracetamol & 8mg codeine) is available to buy in pharmacies for around £1.50 for 32. The stronger version is only available on prescription.


However, as with all medication there are always warnings and advice that you should heed before taking painkillers such as paracetamol. This is because no drug can be guaranteed to be 100% safe and paracetamol can be very dangerous in overdose.


~ Things to remember


** Make sure that you read the instructions carefully and know exactly how many to take and when to take them. If you are unsure about anything then ask for advice from the pharmacist before you buy it especially if you are taking prescribed drugs or haven't taken it before.

** As with many medicines, paracetamol can be dangerous when too much is taken. The usual adult dose is to take two tablets four times a day if required. It is important to leave at least four hours between each dose, not to take any more than two at any one time and ensure that no more than eight are taken in a twenty-four hour period.

** For babies, no more than four doses should be given in twenty-four hours and be caref
ul when measuring out the dosage whether it is on a spoon or oral syringe. Again remember to leave at least four hours between doses

** A lot of cold and flu remedies contain paracetamol so if you are taking any of these products and have a headache, do not take any extra paracetamol tablets as you could accidentally take an overdose.


I personally use paracetamol whenever I have a headache as I find it to be very effective. Combined with codeine, it can also help with migraines but if you suffer from migraines regularly then you may need a specific product from your doctor.

Paracetamol is often overlooked in pharmacies these days as there are so many painkilling products available, a lot of which contain paracetamol anyway. I would, however, point out that for some muscular aches, pains and cramp, Ibuprofen may be more suitable as it has anti-inflammatory properties too.

So the next time that you have a headache or a bit of a temperature, why not give paracetamol a go - it might just work!

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