The Kent Chiropractor to see - Chiropractor Kent

Take Two and Call Me in the Morning?

For that occasional headache or chronic back pain, going to the medicine cabinet may be the first thing that many do to relieve their symptoms. Acetaminophen or paracetamol are popular pain relievers and fever reducers; they are also the ingredient in more than two hundred different prescription and over-the-counter medications. It’s important to know this because of their potential to cause liver injury or even serious liver damage if the dosing recommendations are exceeded.

The recommended maximum adult dosage of acetaminophen is 4000 mg or four grams in any 24-hour period. That’s eight 500 mg "extra-strength" pills. However, if you drink two alcoholic beverages a day, the maximum daily dosage is half of that amount or two grams.

Liver injury is a potential side effect if you take 7 - 10 grams of acetaminophen in a single dose, even if you are a healthy adult. However, some people have experienced severe liver damage after taking 4 – 6 grams in a single dose. The point is this, if you are taking acetaminophen, you need to be very cautious about following the recommended dosing instructions, and if you drink alcohol, you are even more prone to acetaminophen-induced liver damage. And… acetaminophen and paracetamol overdose is the most common cause of acute liver failure in the U.S. and in the United Kingdom.

Aside from the potential side effects, keep in mind that it treats symptoms, and not the causes, of a condition. Chiropractic care is an all-natural alternative that seeks to locate and correct nerve interference that’s often the cause of many illnesses. Chiropractic adjustments can relieve this interference and restore the nervous system to proper functioning. When this happens, the symptoms of many illnesses are relieved or eliminated altogether.

If you are experiencing any type of pain, please talk to us about it. We’re here to help make it easier for your body to heal… naturally.