Why Tylenol Makes Sense For Arthritis Pain
Facts about acetaminophen, the ingredient in TYLENOL® 8 HR Arthritis Pain
- Proven effective for OA pain
- Wont irritate your stomach the way aspirin or even naproxen sodium can
- Doesnt interfere with the benefits of aspirin heart therapy the way ibuprofen can
- Safe and effective when taken as directed
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What Are The Pros And Cons Of Non
NSAID painkillers can relieve pain in the joints. Examples of these drugs include:
- celecoxib
Research has found that they relieve symptoms in about 15 out of 100 people.
The possible side effects of anti-inflammatory painkillers include:
- An upset stomach: in about 3 out of 100 people.
- Ulcers and bleeding in the stomach: in up to 2 out of 100 people who take NSAIDs for a year.
- Cardiovascular disease: in up to 1 out of 100 people who take NSAIDs for a year.
The risk of side effects and complications will depend on various factors, such as the exact medication and dose used. Celecoxib and etoricoxib are less likely to cause stomach problems than other NSAIDs are.
With the exception of acetylsalicylic acid , NSAIDs can somewhat increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks. This risk is lowest when using naproxen, so naproxen is the most suitable NSAID for people who have both rheumatoid arthritis and a cardiovascular disease.
When used over the long term, NSAIDs can lead to stomach ulcers. These are usually felt as a pain in the upper abdomen. The pain is particularly noticeable just after eating, when the stomach produces more acid. Sometimes stomach ulcers dont cause any symptoms, and people only find out that they have one if they have serious complications such as bleeding in the stomach.
Study Warns Arthritis Sufferers Against Taking Too Much
TUESDAY, Nov. 5, 2002 Acetaminophen is often a first line of treatment for arthritis because it is believed to have fewer side effects than other painkillers, but a new study may change that assumption.
Canadian researchers recently discovered that in high doses, acetaminophen is just as likely to cause gastrointestinal problems, such as upset stomach and ulcers, as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen or naproxen. Results of the study appear in the November issue of Arthritis and Rheumatism.
Physicians need to know that if they are increasing the dose of acetaminophen rather than switching to another medication because they think they will see less GI events, they should look at other options, says one of the studys authors, Dr. Elham Rahme, an assistant professor of medicine at the Research Institute of McGill University Health Centre in Montreal. And, she adds, patients shouldnt increase their dose of acetaminophen without first consulting their doctor.
Arthritis affects as many as one in three American adults, according to the Arthritis Foundation, and acetaminophen the active ingredient in Tylenol, among others is often recommended to manage the pain associated with this disorder.
Rahme and her colleagues studied data from almost 50,000 arthritis patients over age 65. Just over 21,000 were taking acetaminophen and nearly 27,000 were taking NSAIDs. About 6 percent of the NSAID group was taking both NSAIDs and acetaminophen.
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Advil Aleve And Tylenol: Whats The Difference
- May 19, 2015
You wake up with a terrible headache, a sore muscle or yesterdays sunburn is bothering you, and shuffle your way to your medicine cabinet. You open the cabinet, hoping to find something to help with the pain and discomfort, but find yourself faced with three choices: Advil, Aleve and Tylenol. Which one should you take? What are the differences to consider before taking?
All of these pharmaceuticals are useful to treat pain and reduce fever, which is why theyre such common occurrences in households, said David E. Potter, Ph.D., professor and chair of pharmaceutical sciences with the Texas A& M Health Science Center Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy. However, there are some instances where one of these medicines may work better than its counterparts.
To help navigate when to choose which of these common over-the-counter medications, Potter offers the following information about each pain and fever-reducer:
Tylenol
Acetaminophen is a popular option for treating cold and flu-like symptoms, but Potter cautions that users need to be aware of how much they take in a day. Since acetaminophen is often combined with other over-the-counter cold medications that contain fever-reducing ingredients, people may end up taking multiple doses and exceeding the daily limitations.
Advil and Aleve
Although most people have these medications or are aware of them, Potter suggests that not everybody should use these as their primary form of pain management.
What Is The Average Duration Of A Stomach Ache
If you develop any of the following symptoms, contact your provider: Discomfort in the abdomen that lasts a week or more. Abdominal discomfort that does not go away in 24 to 48 hours, or worsens and gets more frequent, and is accompanied by nausea and vomiting. Bloating that lasts longer than two days.
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What Are Warnings And Precautions For Acetaminophen
Warnings
This medication contains acetaminophen. Do not take Tylenol, Tylenol Arthritis Pain, Tylenol Ext, Little Fevers Childrens Fever/Pain Reliever, Little Fevers Infant Fever/Pain Reliever, or PediaCare Single Dose Acetaminophen Fever Reducer/Pain Reliever if you are allergic to acetaminophen or any ingredients contained in this drug.
Keep out of reach of children. In case of overdose, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center immediately.
Contraindications
There are no effects of drug abuse with the use of acetaminophen.
Short-term Effects
See âWhat Are Side Effects Associated with Using Acetaminophen?â
Long-term Effects
- The risk of hepatotoxicity is higher in chronic high dose
- See âWhat Are Side Effects Associated with Using Acetaminophen?â
Cautions
- Repeated administration in patients with anemia or cardiac, pulmonary, or renal disease.
- The risk of hepatotoxicity is higher in alcoholics, chronic high dose, or use of more than one acetaminophen-containing product.
- Use caution in patients with G6PD deficiency.
- Use caution in patients with chronic malnutrition.
- Risk for rare, but serious skin reactions that can be fatal these reactions include Stevens-Johnson Syndrome , toxic epidermal necrolysis , and acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis symptoms may include skin redness, blisters, and rash.
Pregnancy and Lactation
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Why Should We Avoid Taking Drugs On An Empty Stomach
Some medications must be taken on an empty stomach or before meals. This is due to the fact that certain foods and beverages might alter the way these medications operate. Taking certain drugs while eating, for example, may hinder the medicine from being absorbed by your stomach and intestines, making it less effective.
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How To Get Moving Every Day
In addition to physical therapy, its critical to incorporate regular exercise into your daily routine.
Joints are built to move, says Dr. Day. The evidence shows that people who are least active have more arthritis pain than people who do some form of exercise. Choose lower-impact activities, such as bicycling, swimming or exercising in a pool.
What Is Tylenol Arthritis
by Dr. Henley
Tylenol is a drug often recommended by health care providers to treat arthritis pain. Like other anti-inflammatory medicines, it has a role in the non-surgical treatment of hand and arm pain. In fact, some research shows that if you have arthritis pain, you should try acetaminophen first, before trying other medicines, like ibuprofen and naproxen.
You may wonder what makes the Tylenol Arthritis product different than regular Tylenol.
Some patients ask me about Tylenol Arthritis and what ingredients make it different than regular Tylenol. This product is officially named Tylenol Arthritis Pain. It contains only acetaminophen, the same drug in regular Tylenol.
Tylenol currently comes in several versions. Most patients taking it for arthritis pain will probably take one of the following:
- Extra Strength Tylenol Rapid Release Gels
- Regular Strength Tylenol
- Tylenol Arthritis Pain
The number of milligrams of acetaminophen in each pill is listed in parenthesis above.
Im not advocating taking one version over the other youll have to spend some time thinking about which version is the right one for you, but the answer to the frequently asked question above is that Tylenol Arthritis contains slightly more acetaminophen than Extra Strength Tylenol. It contains no other drugs.
You can check out details of each version of Tylenol on the company website here.
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Acetaminophen Advantages And Warnings
You may prefer acetaminophen over NSAIDs if you have high blood pressure or stomach ulcers or bleeding. Thats because acetaminophen drugs such as Tylenol are less likely to increase your blood pressure or cause stomach pain or bleeding than NSAIDs are. However, acetaminophen may cause liver damage and liver failure, especially at high doses. It can also increase the anti-blood-clotting effect of warfarin, a blood thinner.
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How Is This Medicine Best Taken
Use Tylenol Arthritis Pain as ordered by your doctor. Read all information given to you. Follow all instructions closely.
- Take with or without food.
- Swallow whole. Do not chew, break, or crush.
- Take with a full glass of water.
What do I do if I miss a dose?
- If you take Tylenol Arthritis Pain on a regular basis, take a missed dose as soon as you think about it.
- If it is close to the time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your normal time.
- Do not take 2 doses at the same time or extra doses.
- Many times Tylenol Arthritis Pain is taken on an as needed basis. Do not take more often than told by the doctor.
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When To Take Acetaminophen
When it comes to pain relief, itâs tempting to jump straight to the most extreme measure you can access. However, in addition to carrying risks and side effects, these medications can be costly. Itâs important to carefully assess your level of pain so you can figure out the proper next steps regarding pain management.
First, take note of important details about your pain. What part of your body does the pain radiate from? Is it dull, sharp, burning, tingling, or stinging? How long have you been hurting? Did your pain start suddenly or gradually?
Consider treatment approaches that donât involve medication before turning to painkillers. The first-line treatment is always rest â whether thatâs sleeping or just taking it easy. Try also applying a hot or cold compress where it hurts. If these pharmacological-free treatments donât work, move on to OTC pain relievers like acetaminophen or NSAIDs.
Choose acetaminophen when your pain is mild. A study found that acetaminophen sometimes fails to outperform placebos in cases of acute lower back pain . NSAIDs like celecoxib provide better relief overall for musculoskeletal pain than acetaminophen does, though acetaminophen does provide some relief . Acetaminophen may not effectively treat chronic pain conditions , though it can be a good choice for minor, short-term pain, given its reduced side effect profile.
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Warning Disclaimer Use For Publication
WARNING: Please DO NOT STOP MEDICATIONS without first consulting a physician since doing so could be hazardous to your health.
DISCLAIMER: All material available on eHealthMe.com is for informational purposes only, and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment provided by a qualified healthcare provider. All information is observation-only. Our phase IV clinical studies alone cannot establish cause-effect relationship. Different individuals may respond to medication in different ways. Every effort has been made to ensure that all information is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. The use of the eHealthMe site and its content is at your own risk.
If you use this eHealthMe study on publication, please acknowledge it with a citation: study title, URL, accessed date.
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What Are Some Side Effects That I Need To Call My Doctor About Right Away
WARNING/CAUTION: Even though it may be rare, some people may have very bad and sometimes deadly side effects when taking a drug. Tell your doctor or get medical help right away if you have any of the following signs or symptoms that may be related to a very bad side effect:
- Signs of an allergic reaction, like rash hives itching red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin with or without fever wheezing tightness in the chest or throat trouble breathing, swallowing, or talking unusual hoarseness or swelling of the mouth, face, lips, tongue, or throat.
- Signs of liver problems like dark urine, feeling tired, not hungry, upset stomach or stomach pain, light-colored stools, throwing up, or yellow skin or eyes.
- Not able to pass urine or change in how much urine is passed.
- A very bad skin reaction may happen. It can cause very bad health problems that may not go away, and sometimes death. Get medical help right away if you have signs like red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin red or irritated eyes or sores in your mouth, throat, nose, or eyes.
Duration Of Action & Dosing
Tylenol Arthritis is an extended-release formulation and each tablet releases acetaminophen over an 8-hour window. Tylenol Extra Strength, on the other hand, is immediate-release.
Due to the differences in their drug-release mechanism, the products are recommended to be dosed as follows:
- Tylenol Arthritis: 1-2 tablets every 8 hours.
- Tylenol Extra Strength: 1-2 tablets every 4-6 hours.
Tylenol Arthritis is sometimes referred to as ‘Tylenol 8-Hour’, as that is the approximate duration of action. Tylenol Extra Strength, being an immediate release product, generally lasts around 4 to 6 hours per dose.
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Other Types Of Tylenol
Tylenol also makes many symptom and condition-specific products. For example, you can get Tylenol products for:
- Headaches and muscle pain
- Cold and flu
- Arthritis
There are also other types of Tylenol that you cant buy over the counter. For example, your provider might prescribe you a higher dose or stronger strength of Tylenol after you have surgery.
Instructions Before Your Cancer Treatment
If you take aspirin, other NSAIDs, or vitamin E, tell your healthcare provider. Theyll tell you if you need to stop taking it. Youll also find instructions in the information about your treatment. Read the Examples of Medications section to see if your medications contain aspirin, other NSAIDs, or vitamin E.
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Difference Between Aspirin And Tylenol
Fever and Body Pain is a common complaint by most of the humans. Especially when there is a change in the weather. At times the reason for fever can be the pain anywhere in the body. This makes the physician prescribe pain killers too.
Taking painkillers give instant relief to the sickness too. There are many drugs available in the market for these ailments. Many pain killers offer the same result as expected. What is to be looked at is the drugs functionality in the body and possible side effects if any.
In the medical world, there are two types of pain killers which are readily available over the counter. One is the Aspirin and the other is the Tylenol.
Doctors across the world prescribe these medicines after a thorough examination. Both of these drugs offer the same relief, but the main difference between Aspirin and Tylenol is the drug classes they belong to. Aspirin is a Non-steroidal Anti-Inflammatory drug while Tylenol is an antipyretic and analgesic.
Tylenol Arthritis Vs Tylenol Extra Strength: What Is The Difference
In our latest question and answer, the pharmacist discusses the difference between Tylenol Arthritis and Tylenol Extra Strength.
Question
What is the difference between Tylenol 500mg and 650 mg? Which is extra strength? I know there is a ‘Tylenol Arthritis’, but I’m not sure what it is.
Medical Content Reviewed By HelloPharmacist Staff
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Is Acetaminophen Or Ibuprofen More Effective
Acetaminophen and ibuprofen may have differences in effectiveness when treating fever and different types of pain. They are both usually taken multiple times throughout the day for maximum symptom relief.
In one review, ibuprofen was found to be similar or better than acetaminophen for treating pain and fever in adults and children. Both drugs were also found to be equally safe. This review included 85 different studies in adults and children.
When it comes to chronic pain conditions, ibuprofen has been shown to be more effective. In one study, ibuprofen was found to be more effective than acetaminophen for treating pain from recurring migraines and osteoarthritis. Another study concluded similar results and found that paracetamol had better pain relief and tolerability than acetaminophen for osteoarthritis.
Because both drugs work in different ways, one may be preferred over the other for different conditions. Pain is also subjective and dependent on a persons pain tolerance. Therefore, pain relief may differ based on a persons response to medication. It is best to seek medical advice from a healthcare professional if you experience pain or fever.
How Tylenol Arthritis Works
Tylenol Arthritis contains two layersone that releases quickly for fast relief and one that releases slowly to provide lasting relief of up to eight hours. For these layers to work properly, you must swallow the caplets whole with water. There is a total of 650 mg of acetaminophen in each tablet. Regular Strength and Extra Strength Tylenol do not have two layers and contain less acetaminophen per caplet, 325 mg, and 500 mg respectively.
Acetaminophen is an analgesic, meaning it relieves pain. Acetaminophen is not an anti-inflammatory, so it does not ease swelling. For this reason, Tylenol Arthritis is best for osteoarthritis and not inflammatory types of arthritis such as rheumatoid, reactive, or gout.
Acetaminophen is thought to work by interfering with hormones called prostaglandins, reducing pain sensations within the nerve endings, nervous system, and brain.
Tylenol Arthritis can temporarily relieve other types of pain such as general aches, muscle soreness, toothache, menstrual cramps, achiness during cold and flu, and back pain. As with other acetaminophen-containing drugs, Tylenol Arthritis can also help reduce fevers.
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