Health matters: Know the risks before using painkillers this flu season
As many turn to paracetamol during flu season it is important to be informed on the drug
With the flu season under way, many people are taking painkillers to ease flu symptoms.
Paracetamol is the most common type of painkiller for the relief of pain, including tension headache, musculoskeletal pain, period pain, toothache, sore throat and lower back pain.
Paracetamol suppresses the generation of pain mediators in the brain and other parts of the body and enhances the pain suppression mechanisms in the central nervous system to reduce pain-signal transmission.
It is a relatively safe drug for the relief of mild to moderate pain and fever, but will cause liver damage if overdosed. The recommended dosage limit is four grams of paracetamol over a 24-hour period and a maximum single dose of one gram every four to six hours.
In Hong Kong, there are well over 900 registered pharmaceutical products containing paracetamol in different dosage forms and strengths.
It is a popular ingredient found in many multi-component cold and cough preparations and even in proprietary Chinese medicines, therefore it is important to note the amount of paracetamol in each dose unit so as not to exceed the four-gram daily limit.
The consequence of taking too much paracetamol over a long period of time could be life-threatening.
