Paracetamol

This medicine does not affect your ability to drive.

Paracetamol for menstrual pain is effective in reducing pain. The maximum dose you can take daily is 4 g, with a minimum interval of 4 hours between doses. If you have kidney failure, the interval between doses should be 8 hours. However, it is recommended not to exceed 3 g of paracetamol for menstrual pain or other types of pain. You can take 1 g of paracetamol per dose.

Yes, acetaminophen is effective. You can take paracetamol for back pain at a maximum dose of 4 g per day, but it is preferable not to take more than 3 g per day of paracetamol for back pain due to the increased risk of hepatotoxicity. If the pain persists, it is recommended that you consult a neurologist or rheumatologist.

Yes, you can take paracetamol for headaches, up to a maximum of 1 gram (2 tablets of Paracetamol 500 mg in a single dose per administration). If you need to take paracetamol again for headaches, wait at least 4 hours before taking another tablet.

The maximum daily dose is 4 g per day. If the pain persists and you need to take paracetamol daily, it is recommended that you consult a doctor.

Paracetamol can be taken with NSAIDs (paracetamol with Nurofen, for example) when pain or fever is not sufficiently controlled by one of the molecules, but as an alternative treatment, never simultaneously, with a 4-hour interval between doses.

When pain is not relieved by one of the molecules in high doses, the combination of paracetamol and aspirin is permitted because the two drugs belong to different therapeutic classes, do not interact with each other, and do not increase the risk of adverse reactions. However, this combination should be used for a short period of time because there is a risk of hepatotoxicity.

Paracetamol can be taken at the same time as antibiotics because it doesn't mess with how either of them work, and there's nothing in the medical literature about them making each other's side effects worse or making them less effective or toxic.

The use of aspirin or paracetamol for colds and flu is a matter of preference, as well as whether you have any specific contraindications to one of them (especially risk of gastrointestinal bleeding or active ulcer in the last 6 months, in the case of paracetamol). You can use aspirin or paracetamol for colds because, although they have different mechanisms of action, their effect is similar - reducing the discomfort caused by colds.

Paracetamol can sometimes be used to reduce muscle fever.

The choice between Nurofen and paracetamol, as the medicines have similar effects, depends on your preference and whether you have any contraindications for one of the substances. Nurofen has more contraindications and side effects than paracetamol.

Before taking this medicine, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice to determine the maximum dose and frequency of administration. Paracetamol during pregnancy may sometimes be permitted only at the lowest effective dose and for the shortest possible time. Taking paracetamol in the recommended therapeutic doses does not pose any risk to pregnancy or foetal development. Talk to your doctor to find out for sure if you can take paracetamol during pregnancy.

Paracetamol can be excreted in breast milk in amounts of 1-2% of the ingested amount. In general, caution is advised when taking paracetamol while breastfeeding, and the lowest effective dose should be used. It is recommended to consult a doctor before using paracetamol.

Taking paracetamol with alcohol can have a toxic effect on the liver. This is because both drugs are metabolised in the liver, which then has to work harder. The risk of liver damage increases with longer-term use of paracetamol with alcohol, or in patients with pre-existing liver damage.

Long-term treatment with paracetamol in combination with chronic alcohol consumption and other hepatotoxins (including drugs) increases the risk of liver toxicity. In patients taking coumarin anticoagulants, high doses of paracetamol (2 g per day for more than a week) also increase the effect of anticoagulants. INR monitoring is necessary.

There is a myth that paracetamol stops menstruation. However, this is false, as the menstrual cycle is regulated by hormones. Paracetamol is not a hormonal preparation and does not influence the action of the hormones that trigger and maintain menstruation.

No, paracetamol is not an antibiotic. Paracetamol reduces the discomfort associated with colds and flu and lowers fever, but it does not destroy bacteria (so it does not have antibiotic properties).

In addition, paracetamol for colds and flu is effective in reducing specific symptoms and in viral infections (infections caused by viruses), in which case antibiotics are ineffective.