Acetaminophen Protected Use and Males’s Well being Month – Speaking About Males’s Well being

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

Writer: Dr. Julius Johnson

I beloved enjoying soccer as a child, and as an grownup I nonetheless take pleasure in spending weekends teaching my neighborhood’s youth soccer staff, the Brooklyn Skyhawks. I additionally get my fair proportion of train by understanding at dwelling and enjoying with my daughter within the park. Typically I overdo it, and find yourself with aching muscle tissues and joints after an bold exercise.

Like many individuals, one of many first treatments 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. However it’s necessary to know what elements are within the OTC and prescription medicines you’re taking, for ache and in any other case, and the way 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 severe well being penalties if not taken as directed.

Ache Aid and Males’s Well being

The unhappy reality is that males are in lots of ache. In a nationwide survey, 65% of males reported that they expertise ongoing ache, typically for a 12 months 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 include acetaminophen.

What Is Acetaminophen?

Most individuals don’t know that acetaminophen is the commonest 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.

Suggestions for Utilizing Acetaminophen Safely

Observe 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 medication than directed by the label – that is an overdose, and it may possibly result in liver harm.
2. Know in case your medicines include acetaminophen. In case your OTC medication accommodates acetaminophen, it is going to be highlighted in yellow on the label. It might typically be listed as “APAP” or “acetam” on prescription medicines.
3. Take just one medication with acetaminophen at a time. You’ll be able to take an excessive amount of acetaminophen when you use a couple of medication that accommodates acetaminophen on the identical time.
4. Ask your healthcare supplier or pharmacist you probably have questions about the way 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 choices that hold them wholesome and secure. Males’s Well being Month is the proper time to place these secure use steps into apply, 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.