Learn About Common Fever Medications

Ladies, many anti-inflammatories and pain medications also get rid of fevers! When you're an adult, doctors recommend a fever reliever when your temperature is 102°F or higher. That said, these medications help when other options haven't, or if your fever is at least 100.4°F and is making you very uncomfortable. Talk to your doctor about the best choice for your needs! This is very important, especially when you have other health conditions to consider.

It's time to get some fever relief! Natural remedies for fevers are a great place to start. Many of you will find success this way. That said, sometimes you need more than just natural fever reducers. This is when you should try an over-the-counter fever reducer! Of course, ladies, you need to understand your common options first.

Acetaminophen

Acetaminophen's a common fever medication. Ladies, you will take this one orally. It's offered as a liquid and tablets! When it's a tablet, you get extended- or immediate-release ones most often. However, acetaminophen is in dissolvable tablets too. This medication is very effective at getting rid of a fever and pain. Sadly, it also has side effects! Ladies, the most common are dark pee, clay-colored stool, headaches, and nausea. Two others are itching and appetite loss! This medication also carries a risk of liver damage. It's the highest when you take it for too long or in really high doses. Ladies, talk to your doctor when you already have liver problems before taking this medication. Of course, you still need to know the signs of liver damage. Two major examples are jaundice and really bad itching! Call your doctor about both.

Acetaminophen has a few interactions. Ladies, you can't take it with some sulfa drugs, cancer medications, and gout medicine. You have to talk to your doctor when you already take medications before adding this one. They will help you avoid interactions!

Ibuprofen

Ibuprofen's another great option for getting rid of a fever! It makes inflammation disappear as well. Ladies, you need about 200 mg every 4 to 6 hours when you need to get rid of a fever. That said, you can go up to 400 mg every 4 to 6 hours as well! However, you can't take more than 1,200 mg daily unless your doctor has told you otherwise. Unfortunately, ibuprofen has some side effects. Some of you, ladies, will be at a higher risk of a heart attack or stroke on this medication. This is particularly high when you have heart disease already! The risk also increases when you take large doses of this medication or take it for too long.

When you're a senior, this medication makes stomach bleeding more likely. Other side effects are dizziness, headaches, heartburn, tinnitus, and nervousness! Ladies, take ibuprofen with food or milk to stop your stomach from getting upset. When you have some existing conditions, you have to ask your doctor about this medication first. The conditions of note include asthma, high blood pressure, liver disease, diabetes, and kidney disease!

Acetylsalicylic Acid

Acetylsalicylic acid (Aspirin) is a great anti-inflammatory. Ladies, it also gets rid of your fever! As an adult, you need 325 to 650 mg every 4 to 6 hours. This will get rid of your fever quite quickly! However, this medication has some side effects. The most common is tinnitus! Other side effects, ladies, are nausea, abdominal cramps, and dizziness. There are less common side effects too, like stomach ulcers and bleeding. These don't always cause pain! The signs of stomach bleeding are feeling dizzy when you stand, tarry stool, and weakness. Get immediate medical help for these, ladies!

Sadly, you can't take this medication when you have gout. It's because it increases uric acid! Ladies, you have to track your blood sugar when you take this one if you have diabetes. The reason? It increases your risk of low blood sugar when you're on diabetes medicine! Of course, you should always talk to your doctor first. They will help you decide when this medication is safe. They will also pick a good dose for you!