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!
Diclofenac
Ladies, you take diclofenac orally to get rid of inflammation. Most of the time, it's helpful for arthritis and migraines. However, it will also relieve fevers! That said, this one's prescription-only. Of course, you have to know about the side effects. The common ones are heartburn, upset stomach, drowsiness, headaches, constipation, diarrhea, and dizziness. There are rare ones too, like feet swelling, fatigue, and rapid weight gain. Ladies, they are heart failure warning signs! Talk to your doctor right away if they appear. Do this for ringing in your ears too!
Ladies, this medication also increases your blood pressure. That's why you have to keep a close eye on your blood pressure when you take it. Call your doctor if you notice any elevations in your blood pressure. Of course, some of you can't take this medication. It's not right when you're pregnant or have conditions like asthma, high blood pressure, stomach bleeding, heart disease, or high blood pressure. It also isn't appropriate when you have a history of kidney or liver disease. Don't take it with tobacco either!
Naproxen
Naproxen is a great medication. Ladies, it's another anti-inflammatory! It's available over-the-counter as well as with a prescription. Usually, you can only take 2 doses of this day. It's very strong! However, your doctor is able to give you permission to take 3 doses. Regardless, you have to drink a full glass of water with this medication. Ladies, you will also benefit from not lying down for 10 minutes after taking it. This will help reduce the risk of an upset stomach! Taking it with food also helps. Other side effects to know about are dizziness, headaches, drowsiness, and heartburn. Call your doctor if these do not go away or get worse!
This medication has rarer side effects too. Examples are mood changes, painful swallowing, vision issues, and easy bruising. Sometimes, you will deal with a stiff neck for no reason or changes to your pee output as well! Talk to your doctor right away if any of these rarer effects appear. Finally, there are some interactions with naproxen. They include corticosteroids, lithium, ACE inhibitors, and diuretics! You will need adjusted doses or to find another medication. Talk to your doctor for help!