The best-selling medicines worldwide are antipyretic drugs. Indeed, with the advent of colds and an increase in the incidence of influenza, SARS, their popularity is growing. Today we find out which drugs are able to cope with such an undesirable symptom as high fever. How to reduce the heat of a child so that the medicine does not negatively affect the health of the baby? Are there safe medicines that can cope with high fever? You will learn the answer to these and other questions from the article.
Causes of high fever in humans
Possible factors for the appearance of heat in a person may be:
1. Influenza, SARS. These ailments are accompanied by chills, aching, muscle pain, pain in the eyes, sneezing, runny nose.
2. Gastrointestinal disorders. In this case, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, bloating are observed.
3. Caught kidneys. In addition to high temperature, you can notice other symptoms of this problem: pain in the lumbar region, passing into the groin or lower abdomen, the appearance of perspiration on the forehead.
4. Drug fever. In this case, there is a headache, fever, which can last for several days in a row. Drug fever appears due to an overdose or intolerance to certain medications.
5. Overheating of the body. It happens that, being in the sun for a long time in the summer or spending time in the sauna, a person soon feels a headache and body aches. And a thermometer can often show a temperature of 38 degrees. In this case, a fever indicates a general overheating.
As you can see, the causes of high temperature can be different, and not always a person can navigate and understand why he has such a broken condition.
If the heat does not go away
In general, with a cold, any temperature should decrease in 3 days. If there has been a high temperature for 4 days, then you need to sound the alarm. After all, such a situation may indicate bacterial complications that occur during or after a viral infection. So, if the high temperature lasts more than 4-5 days, then this may be a sign of diseases such as:
- Otitis - inflammation of the middle ear. It occurs in children.
- Angina - purulent lesions of the tonsils. There are complaints of sore throat and difficulty swallowing.
- Sinusitis - inflammation of the sinuses. In this case, the patient complains of pain in the nose, forehead.
- Pneumonia is a very dangerous ailment that can appear as a result of a viral infection. This is pneumonia, which is accompanied by fever, cough, chest pain. Sputum often becomes purulent and even with streaks of blood.
If parents are trying to bring down the heat to their child, and the temperature rises again, then you should immediately call an ambulance. Otherwise, the consequences of such a frivolous attitude can be sad. And the treatment of these ailments involves the use of antibiotics, which should be prescribed strictly by a doctor.
Effective and harmless antipyretic drugs
There are two temperature medications that have been approved by doctors around the world as a means of self-treatment in the event that children and adults have a fever. And these are such medicines as:
- tablets, suppositories, Paracetamol syrup;
- Ibuprofen in various forms of release.
These drugs can be sold under different brands, and their names always differ, but the active substance in them does not change. Both Paracetamol and Ibuprofen are equally effective and safe. However, this is under the condition that the person will observe the dosage and the regimen of admission. Both can be combined with each other. They are also interchangeable. Among other things, these drugs can be bought at any pharmacy without a doctor's prescription.
Dangerous medicines for children
Many parents sometimes start to panic when their children have a high fever. What to bring down, which means is better to get, so as not to harm? Moms often ask these questions at the doctor’s appointment. In search of a good antipyretic for your son or daughter, you can often stumble on risky medicines. The most dangerous of these medicines are two fairly well-known, common drugs:
1. Acetylsalicylic acid (Aspirin tablets).
2. The medicine "Analgin."
The rate of use of Aspirin tablets
Acetylsalicylic acid has for many years been an acceptable and common cure for heat. Some people are even sure that Aspirin is the best antipyretic drug of all time. However, do not be so hasty to rejoice, because this statement is fundamentally wrong. Indeed, the ability of this medicine to reduce temperature is several times stronger than that of Paracetamol and Ibuprofen. But to date, medicine has established that Aspirin tablets, used in relation to children, can provoke the appearance of Reye's syndrome in boys and girls. This is a serious disease that affects the liver. Ray's syndrome sometimes causes catastrophic and even life-incompatible damage to this internal organ. You need to know that the medicine "Aspirin", the price of which, incidentally, is attractive, is not dangerous in itself. Only in childhood can he propagate trouble. And taking acetylsalicylic acid with a viral infection can even lead to death. Moreover, children's age, at which it is dangerous to take this remedy, reaches the age of 18 years. But for women and men, this medication is not dangerous, so they can use Aspirin tablets to normalize the temperature. The price of this tool, unlike other antipyretic drugs, is low. So, for pills in the amount of 20 pieces of 500 mg each will have to give an average of 70 rubles.
Is “Analgin” Safe or Not?
There are times when parents, nervously sorting out medications in a first-aid kit, do not know what to do at high temperature, when their child simply “burns” in front of their eyes. And some mothers, due to ignorance, lack of optimal drugs at hand, give their babies the Analgin medication. But doing this is strictly prohibited. Well, if an adult drank the medicine, but giving it to children is unacceptable. The fact is that this medication is dangerous for the health of any child, since it can cause irreparable harm to blood formation.
"Analgin" in relation to children can only be used by ambulance staff, and even then in situations where a girl or boy has a very high temperature. If it is at around 38.5–39 degrees, then you can bring it down with other gentle preparations.
Parents should remember that it is possible to normalize the temperature of their child only with two safe medicines - these are the medicines “Ibuprofen” and “Paracetamol”.
How to take pills "Analgin"?
So, we found out that this tool can be used only in relation to adults. Take "Analgin" tablets after meals, drinking them with plenty of water. A single dose is 1 pill. If the heat does not go away, then you can drink another pill after 3 hours. If within 3 days after the use of the drug "Analgin" the temperature has not returned to normal, then this is an occasion to consult a doctor.
The drug "Ibuprofen"
If you still do not know how to deal with such a phenomenon as high fever, than to bring it down so as not to harm yourself, then this is for you. There is an effective remedy that is suitable for both adults and children, and its name is Ibuprofen. This medication is available in various forms:
- in the form of candles;
- syrup;
- tablets;
- drops.
For kids, syrup and suppositories are suggested, and for adults, manufacturers recommend pills instead of syrup.
Dosage of the drug "Ibuprofen" for boys and girls
The use of tablets:
- In case of fever for children over 12 years old, to reduce the temperature, the dose of Ibuprofen pills is calculated as follows: if it is above 39 degrees, then 10 mg per 1 kg of weight per day. If below 39 degrees - then 5 mg of the drug per 1 kg of weight per day.
- Suspension for oral administration is usually prescribed for young children. A single dose, depending on the age of the baby is:
- From 1 to 3 years - 100 mg.
- 4-6 years - 150 mg.
- 7–9 years old - 200 mg.
- From 10 to 12 years - 300 mg.
Analogues of the drug "Ibuprofen"
Similar drugs are those drugs in which ibuprofen acts as the active substance. Such analogues as Ibuprom, Ibufen, Nurofen, Faspik, Pedea can be attributed to analogues.
Cost
As already mentioned above, the safe drug that can be purchased at a pharmacy to eliminate heat and normalize the condition is Ibuprofen. The price of this medication depends on the form of its release, the number of tablets, suppositories, the volume of the bottle with syrup.
So, for 1 pack of tablets (20 pcs.), You will have to pay only 20 rubles. For 50 pills you need to pay about 35 rubles. A syrup with a medicine will cost 80 rubles, this is for a bottle of 100 ml. And Ibuprofen candles, whose price, by the way, is the highest of all available forms of release, need to pay 110 rubles (for 10 suppositories).
The drug "Paracetamol"
This tool has analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic effects. The drug does not contain any chemical dyes, unlike expensive powders of the same action, where the main substance is paracetamol. For example, the tool "Panadol" or "Efferalgan." Children from temperature are better to take paracetamol in its purest form. But if the child does not want to drink the medicine at all, then, of course, it is worth turning to the analogues of this drug, which have a pleasant taste.
The medicine "Paracetamol" is available in various forms:
- in the form of tablets;
- syrup;
- candles.
Adults are better off drinking pills (500 mg once). Children need to put candles or give syrup.
Analogues of the drug "Paracetamol"
This medication has many similar in composition and effect. However, the most popular substitutes for Paracetamol in Russia and Ukraine are drugs such as Efferalgan, Perfalgan, Panadol Asset, Panadol, Milistan Children's, Coladol.
How to eliminate fever: syrup "Paracetamol" or "Ibuprofen"?
Many parents sometimes do not know what to give their children from the temperature, which remedy will be more effective. However, do not be upset if you suddenly find only Ibuprofen or Paracetamol syrup at home. The fact is that both of these drugs have the same antipyretic effect, both of them are safe. However, there are some differences in these funds:
- The medicine "Paracetamol" is approved for use by children from 1 month. While the drug "Ibuprofen" is given only from three months.
- Syrup or suppositories "Paracetamol" have only antipyretic and analgesic effects, in contrast to the second remedy, which also has an anti-inflammatory effect.
- The drug "Ibuprofen" has more side effects, one of which is an adverse effect on the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, this tool should be taken during or after a meal.
- Ibuprofen syrup acts much earlier than Paracetamol, and it retains its effect for a little longer.
Basic rule
What to do at high temperature if there is no suitable antipyretic in the medicine cabinet?
- It is necessary to send one of the relatives for Paracetamol or Ibuprofen medicine (if the child has fever) or for Analgin and Aspirin tablets (when an adult is ill).
- You need to drink plenty of fluids in order to avoid dehydration.
- The patient should ensure peace.
- At high temperatures it is forbidden to wrap yourself, cover yourself with a blanket.
- When one of the relatives brings a cure for the heat, you should immediately drink it, after reading the instructions for use.
- A rag soaked in room temperature water will help lower the temperature. It must be attached to the forehead. It is necessary to determine a thermometer under the arm or in the mouth every half an hour until the temperature begins to decline.
- If the condition does not improve, then you should call an ambulance.
When to give medicine?
Temperature preparations are never taken as planned, for example, 1 tablet three times a day, etc. These are emergency medicines. And the main criterion for their admission is the well-being of the patient. If a person has a temperature of 38 degrees, but at the same time he actively drinks warm compote, breathes normally, moves, and does not lie down, then there is no need to use any antipyretic drugs. It is enough to provide the patient with normal conditions in his room (cool and humid air), drinking and peace.
But when a person has cramps at a temperature of 37.5 degrees (applies to most of the children), he refuses to drink, vomits, then antipyretic drugs should be used.
Normalization of temperature without the use of medications
It should immediately be noted that if a temperature of 40 degrees is indicated on a thermometer, then no home methods can bring it down. In this case, even such effective drugs as Paracetamol, Analgin and Ibuprofen may not work. In this situation, you should go to the hospital. But when the temperature is kept within 39 degrees, then an adult can try these home recipes (if there was no antipyretic in the apartment):
- Water or alcohol wipes. You should start with the legs and arms, gradually rising to the shoulders.
- Reception of sweatshops and teas. As such therapeutic fluids, lime, raspberry infusion is suitable.
- Mandatory bed rest with a wet towel on the forehead and wrists. You can also wet and squeeze socks, put them on top on dry ones.
And if at night the adult has a high fever? What to bring down then if at hand there is only one Paracetamol tablet? How to quickly normalize the temperature? For this, you can use an enema. In half a glass of boiled water, add a crushed tablet of Paracetamol. And then put an enema using this solution. This procedure may be a little unpleasant, but it will work faster than swallowing a pill. After all, through the intestines, the drug gets rapidly, which can not be said about the penetration of the drug through the stomach.
Now you know what drugs can bring down the heat. And these are drugs such as Paracetamol, Analgin, Ibuprofen, Aspirin. However, some of these agents cannot be applied to children. And this applies to such medicines as Analgin and Aspirin. And the other two drugs can be safely acquired and normalized with their help.