Enjoying It Secure: Acetaminophen Secure Use and Males’s Well being Month

Creator: Dr. Julius Johnson

I cherished taking part in soccer as a child, and as an grownup I nonetheless get pleasure from spending weekends teaching my neighborhood’s youth soccer workforce, the Brooklyn Skyhawks. I additionally get my fair proportion of train by understanding at house and taking part in with my daughter within the park. Generally I overdo it, and find yourself with aching muscular tissues and joints after an formidable exercise.

Like many individuals, one of many first cures I attain for is a chilly pack and an over-the-counter (OTC) ache reliever. It’s what I inform my sufferers to do – and more often than not, it does the trick. Nevertheless it’s essential to know what elements are within the OTC and prescription medicines you are taking, for ache and in any other case, and learn how to take them safely. The most typical piece of recommendation I give, on and off the sector, is to not overdo it. OTC medicines can have critical well being penalties if not taken as directed.

Ache Aid and Males’s Well being

The unhappy reality is that males are in a number of ache. In a nationwide survey, 65% of males reported that they expertise ongoing ache, usually for a yr or longer, and lots of of them flip to OTC or prescription medicines for aid. Throughout Males’s Well being Month, the Acetaminophen Consciousness Coalition is urging males to take cost of their well being and  take their medicines safely – particularly if these medicines comprise acetaminophen.

What Is Acetaminophen?

Most individuals don’t know that acetaminophen is the most typical drug ingredient in America, discovered in additional than 600 over-the-counter and prescription medicines – together with many commonly-used ache relievers, cough, chilly, and allergy medicines, sleep aids, and fever reducers. When used as directed, it’s secure and efficient, however taking an excessive amount of is an overdose and might result in liver harm.

The U.S. Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) has set a most every day dose of 4,000 milligrams (mg) of acetaminophen in a 24-hour interval.

Ideas for Utilizing Acetaminophen Safely

Comply with these 4 steps to make use of acetaminophen safely:

1. At all times learn and comply with the dosing directions in your label. By no means take extra drugs than directed by the label – that is an overdose, and it could result in liver harm.
2. Know in case your medicines comprise acetaminophen. In case your OTC drugs comprises acetaminophen, it will likely be highlighted in yellow on the label. It could typically be listed as “APAP” or “acetam” on prescription medicines.
3. Take just one drugs with acetaminophen at a time. You may take an excessive amount of acetaminophen when you use multiple drugs that comprises acetaminophen on the identical time.
4. Ask your healthcare supplier or pharmacist in case you have questions about learn how to take your medicines safely.

The Endgame

In my twin roles as a household nurse practitioner and a coach, I attempt to information males to make selections that maintain them wholesome and secure. Males’s Well being Month is the right time to place these secure use steps into follow, and begin calling the performs by yourself well being.

To be taught extra about acetaminophen secure use, go to KnowYourDose.org and comply with @KnowYourDose on Twitter.