Advil or Tylenol? Which pain reliever to take and when: NPR

When people are hit with a headache or fever, people are often often Grip the over -the -counter pain reliever Like paracetamol or non -steroidal anti -inflammatory medication (NSAIDS) as the first line of defense.

These drugs can be used correctly, can be safe and effective for pain relief. This means following the instructions on the label and the advice of a health service provider.

“But that’s not how we take these medication in real life,” we says Trisha PasichaA doctor and trainer at the Harvard Medical School. Some people occupy too much pain relievers too quickly, diagnose an illness and take the wrong medication or unknowably several painkillers at the same time.

A study In 2018, for example, 15% of the over 1,300 survey participants exceeded the daily NSAID doses, and most participants did not recognize that all products they took were NSAIDS.

These behaviors can lead to serious side effects, from flatulence and nausea to heart attack and stroke, says Pasicha.

To prevent these risks, the medical specialists with whom we spoke for this story say is important to get to know the pain relievers in their medicine cabinet. Here are 10 things you want, you know about these drugs.

1. Acetamol is usually the better choice for feversays the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Clinical pharmacist Candy Tsourounis. It is generally known as Tylenol, it is assumed that it reduces fever and relieves minor pain by increasing the pain threshold of your body and its body temperature is regulated. It is also gentler for the body than NSAIDS.

2. NSAIDS generally are more effective than paracetamol for pain reliefAccording to Tsourounis, especially with inflammatory pain such as muscle pain. While it is assumed that paracetamol only works on the central nervous system, NSAIDs such as aspirin, ibuprofen (such as Advil or Motrin) or Naproxen (such as alve) work throughout the body to reduce inflammation, pain and fever.

3 .. Too much paracetamol at the same time or too many doses near each other can lead to liver damageSays Tsourounis. So keep a maximum of 3,000 milligrams of the drug per day and do not mix them with alcohol, which is also hard for the liver.

4. NSAIDS bear risks to the intestine and the heart. Frequent side effects are stomach pain, heartburn and flatulence. You can also experience more serious damage such as ulcers, gastrointestinal bleeding or kidney damage if you take NSAIDs into too high dose or even too long for a period, says Pasicha. And non-aspirin-NSAIDs have the potential to increase their blood pressure. Each NSAID has a different maximum dose, so pay attention to your labels.

5. If you are not sure which pain reliever is to be used or how much to take, speak to a pharmacistsays Blamah decodedPharmacy manager at UCSF ambatient pharmacy. “Please use us. We are here for that!” You can help you make a well -founded decision by asking about your pain and chronic illnesses and potential drug interactions.

6. It is a limit for how much pain NSAID can be treatedSays Pasicha. If you take more than the recommended dosage or more than one type of NSAID at the same time – for example, which combine Motrin and Aleve – increase your risk of side effects without getting any additional pain relief. If you believe that your OTC medication (OTC) does not work, speak to a doctor or pharmacist instead of ignoring the warning label.

7. If you habitually reach for the same OTC pain relievers, speak to your health service provider. For example, if you take Naproxen every month every month due to muscle cramps. Pasicha says that pain could signal a larger underlying health Problem that can be treated better with prescription medication, changes to the lifestyle or both.

8. Make sure to accidentally transfer too over -medical with a combination of OTC medication. Acetamol and NSAIDs are often contained in many other remedies for diseases, such as migraine medication, allergies pills or all-in-one-cold and flu medication, says Twegbe. So if you don’t feel good, check your labels before assuming that you need a dose of Tylenol on this cold-relief medication.

9. Change between NSAIDs and paracetamol to cope with serious pain and reduce side effects. If you suffer from the flu or a new injury and need severe and constant pain relief, it can be a safe and effective way to help you so that your symptoms let up if your symptoms can be a safe and effective way to help every few hours between acetamol and an NSAID like ibuprofen as soon as your symptoms relieve, says Twegbe. Simply make sure that you follow the recommended doses and dosing times for every medication.

10. Think beyond pills.Since over -the -counter pain relievers are so easily available, people often forget that pills are not the only option when they suffer from small pain and pain, says Pasicha. Many NSAIDS and other analgesics are available in top form, e.g. B. creams or stains, and can offer a similar relief without the potential side effects for your intestine.

There are also non -drugs such as heating pillows to relieve back pain or training in water against arthritis. Talk to your doctor about your alternatives, says Pasicha. “You could even check your pain reliably than just taking medication.”

The digital history was edited by Malaka Gharib. The visual editor is Beck Harlan. We would like to hear from you. Leave us a voicemail at 202-216-9823 or send us an email to lifekit@npr.org.

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