Don’t just consume it, this is the danger of over-the-counter pain medications! | Good Doctor

There are many painkillers that you can buy at drugstores without a doctor’s prescription (over the counter/OTC). Even though it is sold freely, this drug can cause effects that are actually dangerous to your health if you don’t use it properly.

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns you to be careful and not consume too much of this drug. These drugs can cause liver damage to bleeding in the stomach.

Problematic OTC drugs

According to the FDA, there are some OTC drugs that need to be regulated so that they use packaging that lists all the side effects of the drug to increase awareness of the risk of liver damage if used without a doctor’s prescription and long term. Among these are acetaminophen (Tylenol) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

The following is an explanation of the dangers of these drugs to make you more careful:

1. Acetaminophen

The FDA lists acetaminophen as a safe and effective pain reliever. This medicinal substance is found in many products to relieve colds and coughs as well as sleeping pills.

Acetaminophen is even included in the composition of drugs prescribed as anti-pain. However, specifically for acetaminophen purchased without a prescription, the FDA warns against excessive consumption.

Acetaminophen risks

The body eliminates acetaminophen by converting it into a substance that will be excreted in feces and urine. However, when you take more acetaminophen than is recommended on the package, this substance can actually damage the liver.

Some diseases in the liver that can be caused include:

• Jaundice or yellow discoloration of the skin and eyes
• Dark colored urine
• Black dirt
• Nauseous
• Vomit
• Loss of appetite

These signs can mimic the symptoms of the common cold, so you may perceive them as part of your initial illness. If you don’t treat it immediately, liver problems can cause coma and even death.

Safe use advice

If you have been given a prescription for pain medication, communicate with the doctor concerned if you want to take OTC acetaminophen. Because, it could be that the drug that has been prescribed already contains acitaminophen.

Acetaminophen is also contained in other medicines that you can get without a prescription. Therefore, you must check the labels and composition of each drug you buy, this is so that you don’t get an acetaminophen overdose.

For children, you have to make sure they get the medicine according to the dosage. If you are not sure, then ask your doctor so that the side effects of acetaminophen do not affect your baby.

2. NSAIDs

These types of drugs include aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen. This group of drugs includes well-known painkillers in the United States, there are at least more than 30 million people in that country who use NSAIDs to treat headaches, arthritis and other symptoms.

Risks of NSAIDs

The FDA notes the risk of this group of drugs is that it can cause bleeding in the stomach and intestines. However, this risk is relatively low if you use it not too often.

The risk of bleeding is high if you use it regularly every day and in those who are over 65 years old. The FDA also advises you to consult your doctor first before taking this drug, especially if you have kidney problems.

Safe use advice

You are advised to stop using NSAIDs when bleeding occurs in the stomach. Other symptoms you can experience are vomiting, fainting, black and bloody stools, or pain in your stomach that doesn’t get better.

Appeal to the industrial world

To overcome this, the OTC drug industry must also be able to provide clear labels and information regarding the dangers and contents of their medicines. This is what the FDA requested for the drug industry in the United States.

For products that contain acetaminophen, the label must clearly state the name of the drug. In addition, the danger of liver damage that this drug can cause must also be clearly written.

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