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Last Updated: Aug 27, 2023
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Paracetamol - How It Works On Your Body?

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Dr. Amit Kumar GaudGeneral Physician • 13 Years Exp.MD - Internal Medicine
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Paracetamol is one of the most commonly consumed medicine to deal with minor pain, body ache, headache, fever etc. It can also be used for getting temporary relief from arthritis pain. This is readily available over the counter and can be obtained without a prescription. The dosage is available in the form of syrup, powder, solution, tablet, suspension, suppository etc.

Considerations to make before consuming paracetamol:
The risk of the medicine must be considered before consuming it. The health care professional should be reported for any allergy related problems. For a person facing allergy, one should carefully read the label before consuming it. Interaction of 2 paracetamol can prove to be fatal sometimes. The dosage, therefore, of these medicines should be consulted with the doctor. This being said, there are certain medicines which act best when they are consumed together. The outcome of the effect is based on the disease one is facing. The effectivity of this medicine can get influenced if the patient has a history of abusing alcohol, suffered from liver and kidney diseases in the past etc.

Proper use of paracetamol:
Paracetamol should be consumed with care. Prolonged consumption can damage the liver. The maximum dosage of this medicine should not exceed 3k milligrams in a day. This can be consumed before or after the consumption of food. Paracetamol in the form of syrup should be shaken well before use. There should be a minimum time span of 4-6 hours between two dosages of paracetamol. In the case of a missed dosage, the medicine should be taken as early as possible. It does not prove to be fatal in case a dosage is missed. Finally, it should be ensured that paracetamol is stored at room temperature and freezing is avoided.

Precautions:
It is of utmost importance to check the progress of the patient in case one is consuming paracetamol. During the process of consuming paracetamol, symptoms such as dark urine, stomach ache, nausea, weakness etc should be immediately reported to the stomach. For patients suffering from diabetes, any drastic change in the blood sugar level due to the consumption of paracetamol should be immediately reported to the doctor.

Side effects:
Certain rare side-effects of paracetamol include lower back pain, bruising, fever, cloudy urine, tarry stools, yellowish skin, bruising, skin rash, itching etc. Some common symptoms of overdosage of paracetamol include increased sweating, tenderness, swelling and pain in the lower abdomen area, vomiting and nausea, diarrhea, appetite loss, increased thrust etc. If any of these symptoms are faced during the consumption of paracetamol are reported, a healthcare professional should be immediately consulted to avoid any further complication. Frequent usage should also be avoided. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a General Physician.

In case you have a concern or query, you can always consult the best general physicians online & get answers to your question via online doctor consultation.