TOP 4 OVER THE COUNTER PAIN RELIEVERS

Top 4 Over the Counter Pain Relievers and Fever Reducers

By Kristina Duda, R.N., About.com Guide

Updated June 26, 2008

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

There are several types of medications available for pain relief and to reduce fevers. If you need help deciding which over the counter pain reliever or fever reducer is right for you and your symptoms, you have come to the right place. Find out what your options are and the pros and cons to each pain reliever and fever reducer.

1. Tylenol (acetaminophen)

Tylenol is considered the safest pain reliever and fever reducer available. It is available for use in children as young as 2 months old. However, it can cause liver damage if too much is taken or you have certain diseases.

2. Advil or Motrin (ibuprofen)

Advil and Motrin are both brand names for ibuprofen. Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). In English, that means that it helps reduce swelling (and pain) but it is not a steroid. Ibuprofen is great for sore muscles, sore throats and can also be very effective at bringing down fevers.

3. Aleve (naproxen)

Aleve is the brand name for naproxen. Naproxen is another NSAID, similar to ibuprofen. Naproxen works differently than ibuprofen, but it has the same effect. Both are effective pain relievers and fever reducers.

4. Aspirin

Aspirin can be an effective pain reliever and fever reducer. It is sold under many brand names, including Bayer and Ecotrin. Aspirin not only relieves pain, fevers and swelling, it also reduces the blood's ability to clot. Many people take low doses of aspirin to prevent heart attacks and stroke.

Aspirin should never be given to a child or teenager because it may cause a potentially fatal disease known as Reye's syndrome.

MY THOUGHTS

i used to go for ibuprofen.  used to work for me, too.  i guess, after a while, we develop resistance towards some meds.  so, i switched to mefenamic acid.

WHAT CAUSES FEVER?

WHAT CAUSES FEVER?

from the article 'Check Your Symptoms - What to do for Fever Symptoms'
By Kristina Duda, R.N., About.com Guide

Updated October 19, 2009

Causes of Fever

Once you have decided that you don't need to see a doctor, you may want to know what could be causing the fever. First, you should check your other symptoms.

Do you have a cough, chills, congestion and exhaustion?

Do you have a severe sore throat?

* It May be Strep Throat
* It Could be Tonsillitis

Have you had a cough for a few weeks that is painful?

* It May be Bronchitis
* It Could be Pneumonia

Do you have ear pain or is your child tugging on his or her ears and not sleeping well?

* It Could be an Ear Infection

Do you have pain and pressure around your eyes, congestion and a headache?

* It May be Sinusitis

It is important to note that if you think you have any of these illnesses, you should contact your doctor and see if you need to be seen. This is information is not intended to diagnose any disease or condition.

MY THOUGHTS

that's clear enough! and convincing enough. some fevers cannot be treated at home. bronchitis? pneumonia? ear infection? i wouldn't risk it. i will make that trip to the doctor no matter how much i hate doing it.

WHEN DO YOU GO TO THE DOCTOR FOR FEVER?

WHEN DO YOU GO TO YOUR DOCTOR FOR FEVER

from the article "Check Your Symptoms - What to do for Fever Symptoms"
By Kristina Duda, R.N., About.com Guide
Updated October 19, 2009

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

When Should You Go to a Doctor For Your Fever?

# In general, adults should go to a doctor for a fever if your temperature goes above 103 F and will not come down with medication or stays that high for more than 24 hours.

# If a child over 6 months old has a temperature over 101 degrees F that lasts for three days, you should call the pediatrician.

# A child between 3 and 6 months old that has a temperature over 101 F should be taken to the doctor.

# A child under 3 months old with a temperature over 100.4 F should be taken to the doctor.

MY THOUGHTS

i've never gone to the doctor for fever. because i hate going top the doctor.

HOW TO REDUCE FEVER WITHOUT MEDICATION

HOW TO REDUCE FEVER WITHOUT MEDICATION
from the article: Check Your Symptoms - What to do for Fever Symptoms

By Kristina Duda, R.N., About.com Guide

Updated October 19, 2009

How to Reduce a Fever Without Medication

There are a few options if you would prefer to try to reduce a fever without medication. These may also help if medication is not reducing the fever quickly enough.

* Taking a bath in lukewarm water -- be sure the water is not cold, if it causes shivering, that may cause the body temperature to increase.

* Cool packs or cool rags under the arms, on the forehead and in the groin area -- be sure the packs are not too cold.

* Be sure not to wrap the person with a fever in blankets or warm clothes. Although they may feel cold, added layers will only prevent the body temperature from dropping like it should. Dress the person in one layer of comfortable clothes, provided the environmental temperature is comfortable.

MY THOUGHTS

funny how we used to do exactly the opposite. windows closed, no ventilation. wearing the thickest of clothes. with socks. wrapped in layers and layers of the heaviest blanket. now, we know better, don't we? i hope so.

MEDICATION FOR FEVER

Medication for Fever
Check Your Symptoms - What to do for Fever Symptoms
By Kristina Duda, R.N., About.com Guide

Updated October 19, 2009

How Often Should You Take Medication for Your Fever?

Acetaminophen

* Adults - every 4 hours as needed
* Children - every 4 hours as needed


Ibuprofen

* Adults - every 4 to 6 hours as needed
* Children - every 6 to 8 hours as needed


Aspirin

* Adults - every 4 hours as needed
* Children - should not be given to children unless instructed to do so by the child's doctor

MY THOUGHTS

fever seems to be such a common illness. but with all the health issues right now, we worry a lot when body temperature is beyond normal. hope this helps.

How Can You Tell if you Have FEVER?

When Do You Have Fever?
from the article - Check Your Symptoms - What to do for Fever Symptoms

By Kristina Duda, R.N., About.com Guide

Updated October 19, 2009

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

The most important step when determining what to do about fever symptoms, is to check your temperature with an accurate thermometer. Several types of thermometers are available and they work in different ways.

1. Oral (digital or manual)
2. Axillary (digital or manual)
3. Rectal (digital or manual)
4. Tympanic (digital) - scans ear temperature
5. Temporal (digital) - scans skin on forehead

* Check Your Temperature the Right Way

Once you have accurately taken your temperature, evaluate whether or not you need to take action to bring it down.

* In adults, a temperature over about 100 F is considered a fever.

* In children over 6 months old, a temperature over 101 F generally needs treatment. It is important to consider how your child is acting when deciding the course of action for a fever. If the child is lethargic and eating or drinking poorly, you should treat the fever more aggressively than if the child is playful and active.

* In children 3 to 6 months old, a temperature over 101 degrees F requires a call to the pediatrician.

* In children 0 to 3 months old, a rectal temperature over 100.4 F requires a call to the pediatrician.


Once you have decided that you actually have a fever and need to treat it, you should consider your medication options. The most common medications to treat fever are:

* Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
* Ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin)
* Aspirin

If your child is younger than 2 months old and has a fever, you should call your pediatrician before giving him or her any medication.

Tylenol is safe for children over 2 months old.

Advil and Motrin are safe for children over 6 months old.

Aspirin should not be given to children under 18 years old unless instructed to by a doctor. It should never be given to a child with cold or flu symptoms because it can cause a serious disease called Reye's Syndrome.

MY THOUGHTS

in case you've forgotten, 100F is 37.7 centigrade. take note that aspirin should not be given to kids below 18 months. According to health.yahoo.com, "Reye's syndrome is a disorder principally affecting the liver and brain, marked by rapid development of life-threatening neurological symptoms".