how does it work. if you have a pain in your back you take one or the same for a headache.
2006-11-10 03:36:41 · 8 answers · asked by tinawells_uk 2 in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Pain & Pain Management
Paracetamol is a painkiller, more technically described as a non-opioid analgesic. As a painkiller, it's similar in strength to aspirin, but does not have the anti-inflammatory action of aspirin.
Paracetamol is thought to work by blocking the production of chemicals, known as prostaglandins, which are involved in pain transmission. As it doesn't have any anti-inflammatory action, Paracetamol is not used for reducing inflammation and swelling in conditions such as arthritis.
But, unlike aspirin and non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, it blocks them in the brain not at the source of pain.
Therefore, if you have a pain in your back you take one or the same for a headache since the action is taken place at brain.
PS. Paracetamol can be taken to relieve mild to moderate pain due to things such as headache, muscle and joint pain, backache and period pains. It is also used to bring down a high temperature. For this reason, Paracetamol can be given to children after vaccinations to prevent post-immunisation pyrexia (high temperature). Paracetamol is often included in cough, cold and flu remedies.
Hope this answers your query.
2006-11-10 04:05:39 · answer #1 · answered by Hafiz 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It doesn't. There are chemicals in paracetamol that take the place of the chemical that transmits pain in your nerves.
If a sense (but not actually!), the paracetamol shuts a door in your nerves so that the pain can't get through to your brain.
It does this all over the body, because the paracetamol doesn't know where to work. So if you have a sore knee and a sore head at the same time, both will be helped as the paracetamol works all over.
2006-11-12 08:51:34 · answer #2 · answered by junkmonkey1983 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I know what you're getting at.
I don't know for sure, but I don't tihnk paracetamols actually try to cure a back ache or headache - they are just 'painkillers'. they mask the pain from you so whatever pain or ache you have, it will appear better than it is.
paracetamols are amazing.
2006-11-10 03:40:33 · answer #3 · answered by FreakGirl 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it blocks the nerve that senses the pain, so the pain is actually still there in theory but you just can't feel it anymore. You need to take them regularly for bad pain as they only bock the pain but don't cure the problem.
2006-11-11 13:10:33 · answer #4 · answered by cherub 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They work for all the pain so if you brake your arm and your foot it will help with both as all it does it stops the pain being transmitted hence why it is a drug
2006-11-10 03:53:18 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
r u saying that a paracetamol tablet has thoughts?
2006-11-10 11:38:35 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I blocks the nerve that are transmitting the pain.
2006-11-10 03:39:26 · answer #7 · answered by Jody 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the tablets come equiped with route maps to pain areas
2006-11-11 06:43:57 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It does not relieve pain as such but its sensation in the brain by dulling it.
2006-11-10 03:44:57 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
it is so weird that u asked this coz i asked my work collegues this same question this morning! summat about how it justs masks any pain that u have
2006-11-10 03:40:59 · answer #10 · answered by Caroline N 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋