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

Creator: Dr. Julius Johnson

I beloved taking part in 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 figuring out at residence and taking part in with my daughter within the park. Typically I overdo it, and find yourself with aching muscle mass and joints after an formidable exercise.

Like many individuals, one of many first cures 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. Nevertheless it’s essential to know what elements are within the OTC and prescription medicines you are taking, for ache and in any other case, and learn how to take them safely. The commonest 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 a number of ache. In a nationwide survey, 65% of males reported that they expertise ongoing ache, usually for a yr or longer, and lots of of them flip to OTC or prescription medicines for reduction. Throughout Males’s Well being Month, the Acetaminophen Awareness 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 most typical 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 protected and efficient, however taking an excessive amount of is an overdose and might result in liver injury.

The U.S. Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) has set a most each day dose of 4,000 milligrams (mg) of acetaminophen in a 24-hour interval.

Suggestions for Utilizing Acetaminophen Safely

Comply with these 4 steps to make use of acetaminophen safely:

1. All the time read and follow the dosing directions in your label. By no means take extra medication than directed by the label – that is an overdose, and it will probably result in liver injury.
2. Know in case your medicines include acetaminophen. In case your OTC medication comprises acetaminophen, it is going to be highlighted in yellow on the label. It could generally be listed as “APAP” or “acetam” on prescription medicines.
3. Take just one medication with acetaminophen at a time. You possibly can take an excessive amount of acetaminophen for those who use a couple of medication that comprises acetaminophen on the identical time.
4. Ask your healthcare supplier or pharmacist in case you have questions about learn how 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 protected. Males’s Well being Month is the proper time to place these protected use steps into follow, and begin calling the performs by yourself well being.

To be taught extra about acetaminophen protected use, go to KnowYourDose.org and comply with @KnowYourDose on Twitter.