Does Paracetamol Really Reduce Fever?
Paracetamol is one of the most commonly used drugs in the Western world. It is used as an effective pain reliever and is also widely used to reduce fever, especially in infants. So how effective is Paracetamol for reducing fever?
Paracetamol is gaining acceptance as an inferior choice in the management of fever. The results of one study showed that there was no difference when compared to placebo in its ability to bring fever down. Use of Paracetamol or ibuprofen has also been shown as not effective in preventing febrile convulsions. Therefore, there have been some questions raised regarding the efficacy of Paracetamol as an antipyretic agent. Also….
Could Paracetamol cause allergies? An analysis of 205,487 children aged 6 to 7 years from 31 countries found that the use of paracetamol in the first year of life and in later childhood is associated with increased risk of developing asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema. Furthermore, overuse of paracetamol may reduce your immune response and actually prolong infections.
Stacey says:
Fever is your body’s way of healing and it can actually speed up recovery, but high temperatures do need to be closely monitored, particularly in children. When a fever is managed well it can even be used to strengthen your underlying health. Prepare yourself beforehand so you know how to get the most out of any fever. Remember suppressing a fever may be the easy option but it is not a healthy one.