Ibuprofen and paracetamol – how are they different?

Pain affects everyone … It usually occurs when we least expect it, disrupting our day and making relationships with others difficult. Find out when it is worth using a painkiller and how to choose the right one?

Acute and chronic pain

It is a warning sign and one of the most common symptoms in medicine. It is estimated that during 80 percent. all medical visits are diagnosed with some form of pain. As defined by the International Association for the Study of Pain, pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional feeling associated with acute or threatening tissue damage.

Depending on the duration of the ailments, there are two types of pain. Short-term pain that is easy to locate and lasts no more than three months is called acute pain. On the other hand, if the pain lasts longer, returns systematically and hinders our normal functioning, we are talking about chronic pain, which becomes a disease in itself.

Pain reliever ladder

Painkillers come to the rescue in relieving pain of various origins. It should be remembered that they constitute an emergency aid and if the pain bothers us for a long time, please refer to a doctor. In 1986, the World Health Organization developed a chart describing how and when to administer specific pain relievers and other medications for pain relief.

The so-called the analgesic ladder has 3 steps. The first one includes non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and paracetamol, the second – weak opioids, and the third – strong opioids such as: morphine, fentanyl, methadone. The two most popular non-opioid drugs that should be used first are paracetamol and ibuprofen. Let’s take a closer look at them …

How does paracetamol work?

Paracetamol was synthesized as early as in the 1955th century in the United States at Johns Hopkins University by the American chemist Harmon Northrop Morse, but it did not hit the market until XNUMX thanks to two American researchers.

They promoted paracetamol as an alternative to aspirin – without side effects in the gastrointestinal tract, and possible to be administered to children in case of fever. Hence the first commercial name of the drug “Tylenol Children’s Elixir”, indicating the target group.

A year later, paracetamol tablets were marketed in the UK and quickly gained popularity as a pain reliever with few side effects and drug interactions. Unfortunately, in the 60s, the first reports of adverse effects of paracetamol use appeared, and in 1966 severe liver damage following overdose was reported.

Today, in over-the-counter dosages, acetaminophen is commonly used for the temporary relief of pain and discomfort associated with headaches, muscle aches, back pain, toothache, cold and flu symptoms, and fever. The drug works mainly in the central nervous system to reduce the intensity of the pain signals that are transmitted to the brain.

It has an analgesic and antipyretic effect. It is worth remembering that the safety of paracetamol depends mainly on the dose we take. In adults, the safe daily dose is 4 g, and in chronic therapy the dose should not exceed 2,5 g.

Particular caution should be exercised in children whose doses are adjusted according to body weight. Paracetamol should not be used more often than every 4 hours and not more than 4 times a day. Exceeding the doses recommended by the manufacturer may result in symptoms of paracetamol poisoning.

How does ibuprofen work?

Ibuprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It has anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic properties. In addition, it inhibits platelet aggregation (clumping), although weaker and shorter than acetylsalicylic acid. The drug works by inhibiting the synthesis of prostaglandins – transmitters that stimulate pain receptors, and also contribute to the formation of fever and swelling.

By reducing the production of prostaglandins, ibuprofen causes a reduction in pain sensation as well as a reduction in swelling and fever. The history of the drug began 64 years ago, when Dr. Steward Adams began working on an alternative to the slowly absorbing and gastric irritating acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin). In 1983, the British drug manufacturer Boots Healthcare obtained the status of an OTC drug for ibuprofen, i.e. a preparation that can be bought over the counter. Since then, ibuprofen has become one of the most important medications needed in the primary care system.

Ibuprofen is widely used to treat inflammation, mild to moderate pain and fever in children. It effectively relieves musculoskeletal pain, headaches and toothache. It is also a suitable medication to relieve inflammatory conditions such as acute otitis media (AOM) and pharyngitis and tonsillitis. Importantly, it remains the only NSAID that can be given to infants from 3 months of age.

Previous studies have shown that in the case of fever in children and adults, it is clearly more effective than paracetamol and lasts longer. Besides, it is equally safe in terms of gastrotoxicity. Regarding the dosage of the drug, adults and children over 12 years of age can take 200 to 400 mg of ibuprofen every 6 hours. However, the maximum daily amount is 1200 mg of ibuprofen. In a situation where the patient’s condition is serious, the doctor may decide to increase the daily dose to 2400 mg. Children under 12 years of age should be administered about 20-30 mg of ibuprofen per kg of body weight, divided into 2-3 doses.