The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US has recently lowered the acceptable levels of acetaminophen in prescription pain killers over health concerns. Acetaminophen is more commonly known by it's brand name; Tylenol. Tylenol is a commonly used pain reliever and is also often used to reduce fevers. However, the FDA is focusing on prescription drugs that contain acetaminophen to deal with pain. The drugs in question include Vicodin and Percocet. These drugs may be familiar to some who have gone to their family doctor to treat very severe, intense pain. The problem with the drugs in question is that they have been linked to severe liver damage.
"We're taking a major step in the agency's overall strategy to reduce the risk of intentional and unintentional liver damage that can occur if a patient takes too much of the common painkiller acetaminophen," said Dr. Sandra Kweder, deputy director of the Office of New Drugs in the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
"[But] let me also be clear that, when taken as directed, acetaminophen is a very safe product. Our goal is to make it even safer."
Currently, over the counter acetaminophen is available in pills up to 500mg. But note, the recommended dosage is no more than 4 in a 24 hour period. This is very important to follow because if you look at the packaging closely, the risk of liver damage is stated on the box as well.
Here's my concern with this issue. In a perfect world everyone would be very cautious of any medication they are putting into their bodies. This would also mean reading the label including potential side effects very closely. But I'm certain not everybody may be heeding this warning. I have no doubt that there are some people out there who are taking more than the recommended dose because they are desperate to find some measure of relief from their pain.
But let's be clear, acetaminophen (Tylenol) will not cure your pain. The way it works is to trick your brain into not recognizing the pain as easily for the time being. However, this effect can only last a short while, a few hours if you're lucky. Afterwards the pain will return, often unchanged.
If you find yourself in a situation where you are resorting to regular doses of acetaminophen (Tylenol) to manage pain and discomfort (or any other pain reliever for that matter), please know that there are options out there. Chiropractic has helped many patients address the actual cause of their pain and discomfort naturally. Along with some simple exercises and lifestyle changes, a Chiropractor can help find a more sustainable solution to your pain.
Although many people think about over the counter pain relief to address their complaints, not as many people think of the potential side effects. This is one of the major reasons that many patients come to see me. They are looking for a natural alternative to addressing and treating their pain. Not only that, they are looking for a solution that gets to the cause of the pain, not just the symptoms.
Chiropractic is a well established form of health care in the western world and it's acceptance is only increasing with time. Some would argue that using manual therapy to address health concerns has been practiced, in various forms, for thousands of years in other cultures, namely in the east. If you're still wondering about how Chiropractic can help you, leave a comment or visit the website here;COMMERCIAL DRIVE - EAST VANCOUVER CHIROPRACTOR; DR. DOMINIC CHAN DC!!!
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