Paracetamol
Paracetamol is a painkiller and fever reducer for headaches, aches and sore throats, sold here as generic Panadol 500mg tablets and as Cyclopam 20/500mg tablets for cramps.
Everyday pain and fever
Paracetamol is the everyday painkiller and fever reducer: headache and migraine, toothache, sore throat, backache, period pain, muscle and joint aches, and the fever that comes with colds and flu. It works mainly in the brain and spinal cord, raising the level at which you begin to feel pain signals and acting on the temperature centre that governs fever. It is not an anti-inflammatory, so it will not do much for a hot, swollen joint or a twisted ankle.
Two tablets, two jobs
For a headache, a temperature or period pain, generic Panadol is the one to pick: 500mg of paracetamol and nothing else. A belly that cramps is where Cyclopam comes in. Each 20/500mg tablet adds 20mg of dicyclomine, which eases spasm in the gut wall, to the same 500mg of paracetamol. Both sit with the painkillers in the shop, so choose by where it hurts.
A headache at 4pm, another at 7pm
Three hours is too soon: adults and children over 16 take two 500mg tablets every four hours, and eight tablets is the whole day's allowance. Children aged 10 to 15 take one tablet at a time, up to four doses a day. Food makes no difference to how well the tablets work. The trap with paracetamol is that it hides in other things — cold and flu sachets, night-time remedies, many combination painkillers — so two products at once can carry you past the daily limit without your noticing. Regular heavy drinking makes liver damage more likely. Too much paracetamol can begin damaging the liver before you feel unwell, so an overdose needs urgent treatment rather than waiting to see what happens. Store the strips in their foil somewhere cool and dry.
Side effects and the rare reactions
Most people notice nothing beyond the symptom easing. Nausea and a mild skin rash are the reactions reported now and then. Rarely, a rash spreads and comes with swelling of the face, lips or throat, or breathing becomes difficult; that is an allergic reaction and needs emergency treatment. Very rarely, paracetamol has been linked to changes in the blood cells.
Sources
- Paracetamol 500mg Tablets - Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) - (emc) | 5164 — electronic medicines compendium (emc)
- Abdominal pain - causes, self-care and treatments - Healthdirect — Healthdirect Australia
Is Paracetamol available to order in Hong Kong?
Paracetamol can be ordered online with delivery to Hong Kong. The page lists generic Panadol 500mg tablets and Cyclopam tablets, which combine paracetamol with dicyclomine at 20/500mg. Payment is by Visa, Mastercard or American Express on a secure, encrypted page, or with Bitcoin or Ethereum.
How are Paracetamol prices shown?
Each of the two paracetamol products has its own price per pack, shown on its page in HKD or your selected currency; larger packs usually cost less per unit.
Do I need a prescription to order Paracetamol?
PockDose does not ask you to upload a prescription when you order paracetamol. See the ordering FAQ for details.
What brand names does paracetamol have?
Calpol, Panadol and Tylenol are brand names of paracetamol, which is also sold as Crocin, Dolo, Lupocet, Metacin and Pacimol. Here, paracetamol can be bought online as generic Panadol. These are generics, not the original brand.
Is Panadol just paracetamol?
The Panadol here is a plain paracetamol tablet, 500mg of the active ingredient with nothing else added. Paracetamol is the ingredient name and Panadol is one brand name for it, so the same 500mg tablet turns up under other brands and as unbranded packs too.
What is Cyclopam used for?
Cyclopam is for abdominal cramps and gastrointestinal pain. Each tablet pairs 500mg of paracetamol with 20mg of dicyclomine, an antispasmodic that eases the tightening of the gut muscle where cramps come from. A headache or a fever is better served by plain paracetamol on its own.
Can I take paracetamol and ibuprofen together?
Yes. They are different medicines and can be taken at the same time; some people alternate them when a fever is stubborn. Each has its own daily maximum, so count both when you add up how much you have taken.
Can I drink alcohol with paracetamol?
A drink now and then with a dose is not a problem for most people. Drinking heavily most days is a different story: it makes liver damage from paracetamol more likely, and it makes an overdose more dangerous.
Does paracetamol help with swelling?
No. It eases pain and brings a fever down but does nothing about inflammation, so a swollen knee, a sprained ankle or a red, hot joint will not change much. Anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen are the ones that work on swelling.