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Article: Choose your painkiller with caution.
- Article from:
- Current Events, a Weekly Reader publication
- Article date:
- February 1, 2005
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 Weekly Reader Corp. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Over-the-counter (nonprescription) painkillers can help relieve headaches, but you should take them only in moderation. Taking too many painkillers or taking them too frequently can cause serious harm to your body and make your headaches even worse.
To determine the correct dose, read the product label. Be aware that other medications--such as those taken for a cold, cough, or fever--also contain painkillers. If you are taking a medicine that lists a pain reliever among its ingredients, do not take a separate dose of that pain reliever for your headache. Also, be aware that using acetaminophen in combination with alcohol or drugs greatly increases the risk of ...