Panadol a misconceived drug in the eyes of the World
By “Hannan Sher”
Panadol the generic name of it is acetaminophen/paracetamol. It’s COX inhibitor which results in inhibiting the prostaglandins (Prostaglandins are those which causes pain and fever). As a result, Panadol helps relieving pain and fever. But in recommended dosage. Panadol has become a widely preferred and necessary household medicine around the world. Misleading concepts of people over its usage make it spread widely. Popularity and easy availability took its misuse to the roof. People took it as a friend of trouble. In any stress, pain, diseased state it is always with us. This article unveils the misconceptions regarding Panadol and shed light on its proper usage.
Panadol is used without a check and balance. There is little awareness about the proper dosage of it. According to Recommendations different age group need’s different dosage. In different diseases the dosage also varies. People took it blindly which has its own hazards. Like Resistance, allergy, toxicity etc. Resistance occurs as initially it takes a small dose to relieve the symptoms like pain and fever, with time you have to increase the dosage to get the relief. Which effects the body in such a way that you need stronger drugs to cure even minor symptoms.
People can become dependent of it. Which means they don’t feel relieved without using Panadol. It becomes difficult for them to accept Psychologically that they are cured. Just for minor stress they start taking tablets and tablets of Panadol.
Panadol is self-meditating a lot. Lack of Education and access to health care are making the road easier for its misuse. Especially, in the third world there is no proper system. With Poverty and lack of infrastructure further worsening the condition. Making it difficult for people to perceive an expensive cure for such minor conditions like pain and fever. Rather than taking the condition seriously they choose affordable ways to get relieved.
With a misconception of pain as a disease their focus is to relieve the pain only.
Because of its accessibility, availability and popularity. people Don’t take it as a medication. Rather take it as a remedy. Believing it doesn’t have any side effects and simply relieves pain and fever irrespective of the dosage.
People also take Panadol in combination with other medicines without knowing the adverse effects. Like it may cause drug induction (a process by which a drug enhances the effect of the other which occurs by enhancing its metabolism or increase the absorption etc.) which can result in toxicity. Or may cause drug inhibition (a process by which a drug reduces the effect of the other drug) resulting in decreased effect of drug altering the cure process.
Another concerning situation is people take alcohol along with Panadol and other acetaminophen containing drugs. As alcohol has its adverse effects on liver which combines with that of Panadol leading to life threatening condition.
Lastly misconception is that Panadol can be used for all diseases. People consider the pain as disease and not as a symptom. They try to get rid of pain and once pain relatives they stop worrying about the disease which is hurting their body silently leading towards emergency situations.
Talking about side effects of Panadol there are many including nausea, vomiting, stomach upset, allergy (skin rashes) and liver damage when taken without proper recommendation from physician. Alarming situation comes when overdose is Taken which results in liver toxicity or liver failure. It occurs in a way that liver breakdown Panadol into such products that effects
Glutathione (which is an antitoxin means helps to get rid of toxic chemicals from the blood) results in decrease of it. Which left the blood undetoxified leading to liver failure and even death.
Even for pain there are many different medications. Because there is not a single type of pain that exists. Taking proper medication with the precaution is the way to cure a disease.
We have to take measures to reduce this misconception about Panadol. By educating people using advertisements, TV ads, easy excuses to health sector, government relief programmers and proper infrastructure. We not only get rid of this situation by these but also a lot of other health conditions.
To conclude we have to take proper measures individually as well as a whole to eradicate these widely spread misconceptions regarding the use of Panadol. To get benefits from this priceless drug we have to treat it accordingly. A physician’s prescription must be the priority. To some extent in a little dosage and of once in a while you can take it as a self-meditation. But if used for long and persistent times it is life threatening.
Title Image by HeungSoon from Pixabay
My name is Hannan Sher, and I am a 4th-year MBBS student from Chiniot. Alongside my medical studies, I am deeply passionate about writing, both in Urdu and English. Writing, for me, is not just a creative outlet but a means to raise awareness about the often-overlooked aspects of our surroundings.
