PARACETAMOL

Overview

Paracetamol is a commonly used medication that helps relieve mild to moderate pain and reduce fever. It’s often used for:

Headaches

Toothaches

Muscle and back pain

Menstrual cramps

Cold and flu symptoms

It’s available over-the-counter and is considered safe when used as directed.

Classification

Analgesic and antipyretic agent

Uses

Paracetamol is used for pain relief and fever. It is used to relieve pain in conditions like headache, muscle pain, or dental pain.

How it works

When you produce a fever, your body’s internal thermostat — found in the hypothalamus portion of the brain — is raised to a higher temperature. This new set point is usually induced by pyrogens (substances made during infections) that tell the body to produce more heat as a form of immune defense.

Due to its effects in the brain, paracetamol reduces the production of reactive prostaglandins. Prostaglandins are disease-fighting chemicals released during infection that in turn, raise the body’s temperature set point. By decreasing prostaglandin levels, paracetamol enables the hypothalamus’ temperature control centre to bring the body’s temperature back down to normal, allowing the body to cool down and the fever to subside

Dosage

As directed by the physician

Precautions

Most people can take paracetamol safely, including:

pregnant women

breastfeeding women

children over 2 months of age – lower doses are recommended for young children

always get advice before taking paracetamol if you:

have liver or kidney problems

have problems with alcohol, like long-term alcohol misuse

are very underweight

are taking other medications

Don’t take paracetamol if you’ve had an allergic reaction to it in the past

Side effects

common side effects of paracetamol.

Nausea

Swelling

Vomiting

Pain

Tenderness in the upper abdomen

Sweating

Loss of appetite

Stomach cramps

Diarrhea

Major side effects are as follows:

Dark-colored urine

High fever

Lower backache

Skin having red spots

Rashes

Inflammation

Itching

Sore throat

Ulcers

Breathlessness

Yellowish eyes

Disclaimer

This content is for informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare provider for medical advice and proper dosage.