Paracetamol is one of the most commonly used medicines. One way or another, it is present in almost every first aid kit — either by itself or as part of antipyretic or painkillers. Doctors have been recommending this drug for over 50 years. But is it as useful as we think? Turns out it doesn't. />
Scientists at the University of Sydney analyzed systematic reviews of 3,570 studies that looked at the efficacy and safety of paracetamol for 44 types of pain conditions.
The results were surprising: a single or multiple dose of a standard dose of a popular drug (0.5-1g) outperforms placebo in only four disease states, not all of them common. Namely, in osteoarthritis of the knee and hip joints, recovery after craniotomy, pain in the pelvis, including postpartum pain, and tension headache.
Despite the widespread use of paracetamol, its effectiveness in relieving pain has only been proven with a small number of conditions, and its benefits are often quite modest,” the scientists wrote.
For common conditions such as migraine and cold-related headaches, as well as back pain, the evidence for the effectiveness of paracetamol was too low quality or inconclusive. Note that scientists questioned the recommendation of taking paracetamol for pain in the lumbosacral region back in 2016. A randomized placebo-controlled trial involving 1652 patients showed no difference between the popular painkiller and placebo.
Earlier, American scientists warned about a possible dangerous side effect of paracetamol — risky behavior. For example, people who take the drug can carelessly jump from a bungee, walk in dangerous places, drive a car famously. The authors of the study note that risk-taking may be due to the fact that acetaminophen relieves anxiety. p>»It is possible that it makes people feel less negative emotions and anxiety when they evaluate their risks,» the scientists wrote.