Interventions: The intervention was the provision of, and advice to give, the medicines for up to 48 hours: paracetamol every 4-6 hours (maximum of four doses in 24 hours) and ibuprofen every 6-8 hours (maximum of three doses in 24 hours).
Giving paracetamol with other painkillers
However, do not give paracetamol and ibuprofen at the same time. You need to give these medicines 1 at a time (unless your child's doctor or nurse gives you different instructions).
Paracetamol and ibuprofen can be given together, but you can stagger them so that every few hours, if needed, the child can have some medication. For example, you can give paracetamol at 8am, ibuprofen at 11am and paracetamol again at 2pm (i.e. six hours after the first dose of paracetamol).
It's safe to take ibuprofen with paracetamol or codeine. But do not take ibuprofen with similar painkillers like aspirin or naproxen without talking to a pharmacist or doctor. Ibuprofen, aspirin and naproxen belong to the same group of medicines called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
Paracetamol can be given every 4-6 hours - MAXIMUM FOUR DOSES IN 24 HOURS. Ibuprofen can be given every 6-8 hours - MAXIMUM THREE DOSES IN 24 HOURS.
Because ibuprofen has a strong anti-inflammatory effect, it is more effective than paracetamol at controlling certain types of pain, including rheumatoid arthritis, period pain, and muscular injuries.
So that your child's pain is well controlled, it is OK to alternate giving paracetamol and ibuprofen, or even to give both at the same time. If you do this, it can be easy to accidentally give too much of either medicine.
adults – can usually take 1 or 2 tablets (200mg) every 4 to 6 hours, but shouldn't take more than 1,200mg (6 x 200mg) tablets in the space of 24 hours. children under 16 – may need to take a lower dose, depending on their age; check the packet or leaflet, or ask a pharmacist or doctor for advice.
Ibuprofen for adults (Nurofen)
Other brand names: Brufen, Calprofen, Fenbid, Ibugel, Ibuleve. Find out how ibuprofen treats pain and swelling (inflammation), and how to take it.
Yes. If you are over the age of 16, it is generally considered safe to take medicines containing ibuprofen and Panadol simultaneously, since there's no evidence that the two drugs have any harmful effects when they interact in the body.
For severe or acute pain, paracetamol and ibuprofen may be combined, doses of each may be taken together or alternately. To minimise confusion, it is recommended that doses of ibuprofen and paracetamol are taken together.
Paracetamol is useful for treating mild to moderate pain and fever in children. It has only a small effect on inflammation (redness, swelling). Ibuprofen is one of the most common non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) for treating mild to moderate pain and fever in children.
You should start to feel better 20 to 30 minutes after taking ibuprofen tablets, capsules, granules or liquid. For some types of long-term pain, you'll need to take ibuprofen regularly for up to 3 weeks for it to work properly. If you're applying ibuprofen to your skin, it should start to work within 1 to 2 days.
Taking 1 or 2 extra tablets is unlikely to harm you. Do not take more than 8 tablets in 24 hours. Taking too much paracetamol can be dangerous and you may need treatment. Too much paracetamol can cause liver damage.
Patients are often instructed not to take ibuprofen and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) before or after surgery because of increased bleeding risk.
The current recommendations for ibuprofen are to limit daily use to no more than 30 days. Dosing can range from 400 mg to 800 mg up to 4 times a day, with a daily maximum of 3200 mg per day. Above this limit, the negative effects of COX inhibition begin to outweigh the desired benefits of decreased discomfort and pain.
What is the strongest anti-inflammatory medication? Research shows diclofenac is the strongest and most effective non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicine available.10 Diclofenec is sold under the prescription brand names Cambia, Cataflam, Zipsor, and Zorvolex.
Ibuprofen may start working within 30 minutes. But meaningful pain or fever relief may take up to 2 hours. And it may take a week or two to notice less inflammation from conditions like RA. The body may absorb different forms of ibuprofen faster than others.
You should not take more than one NSAID at a time (for example, ibuprofen and naproxen), unless a doctor has told you to. Unless advised by your doctor, do not take Nurofen if you are taking products containing ibuprofen, aspirin, or other anti-inflammatory medicines.
Taking paracetamol with other painkillers
It's safe to take paracetamol with other types of painkiller that do not contain paracetamol, such as ibuprofen, aspirin or codeine. Do not take paracetamol alongside other medicines that contain paracetamol.
A feeling of sickness (nausea) and being sick (vomiting) may occur a few hours after taking the overdose. After 24 hours there may be pain under the ribs on the right side (where the liver is) and there may be yellowing of the whites of the eyes and the skin (jaundice).
Paracetamol for children is a safe painkiller to give children alongside ibuprofen. However, do not give ibuprofen and paracetamol at the same time. You need to give these medicines 1 at a time (unless your child's doctor or nurse gives you different instructions).
The main difference between the two medications is that ibuprofen reduces inflammation, whereas paracetamol does not. According to Hamish, there's no advantage in taking ibuprofen or paracetamol brands such as Nurofen or Panadol over the cheaper chemist or supermarket versions.
Paracetamol works similarly to ibuprofen by blocking the production of prostaglandins and COX enzymes in the body - chemicals that promote pain, inflammation and fever. However, unlike ibuprofen that is primarily metabolised in the kidneys, paracetamol is processed in the liver.