What to know

What’s The Difference Between Paracetamol & Ibuprofen?

the difference between paracetamol and ibuprofen when it comes to pain and fever

Choosing between paracetamol and ibuprofen can be tricky, because they seem the same, but really aren’t.

Paracetamol and ibuprofen are the most common over-the-counter medicine to treat pain and fever, in both children and adults. But while the effects are similar, they differ greatly in the way they work, how long they last, interaction with other medicines, and side effects.

Many factors can cause pain and fever, and obviously, there are many ways to cure both.

Mild pain and fever can be tolerated, and even sometimes cured without the use of medication, but no one really wants to wait that long. Therefore, medicine can be helpful.

Paracetamol is the most common over-the-counter drug in the world, and it great at treating mild to moderate pain and fevers. However, paracetamol has only a small effect on inflammation and isn’t very helpful in combating redness and swelling.

Ibuprofen on the other hand is the most commonly used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (otherwise known as NSAID). When it comes to pain and fever, it has pretty much the same effect as paracetamol, but things change when it comes to inflammation, which it is much better at curing.

All in all, studies have shown that both paracetamol and ibuprofen are effective in treating pain and fever. But at least now you know what to do in case there’s inflammation.

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