Pain

[Bazile]

Which is better for muscle and joint pain - paracetomal or Ibuprofen ?

[Vagus]

I find both/either equally effective or ineffective to be honest.
My approach is paracetamol, then two hours later ibruprofen, then two hours later paracetamol, and so on.
I throw everything at pain, no need to suffer if you can avoid it.
But that’s just me..

[jno]

it seems to vary from one person to another; best to use yourself as a guinea pig and see.

[gingejbee]

...and you can take both together, if needs be...

[jno]

sure can, ginge. All the same, for the purpose of finding out which one is better for any given sort of pain, it's worth trying them separately.

[Vagus]

Or go down the co codamol and ibruprofen route but don’t take paracetamol, take co codamol instead (it contains paracetamol).
BUT beware of constipation if you do!!!

[Bazile]

So to clarify you can take a dosage of paracetamol and a dosage of Ibuprofen at the same time and repeat the same , say 4 hours later ?

[Sqad]

Ibuprofen, as its anti inflammatory properties are greater than Paracetamol and hence joint and muscle respond better as the pain from them is usually due to inflammation.
Dosage: that is equating Ibuprofen 400mgs with Paracetamol 1,000mgms.
This trend of alternating each tablet does not sit well will Sqad and should only be used in severe or intractable pain

[Sqad]

Bazile @1425.....no you don't..

[Bazile]

sqad - are you saying you shouldn't take paracetamol and ibuprofen at the same time ?

[Sqad]

I am,my friend ,I am.
It may not get the popular vote or even the Internet advice....but I am..

[Sqad]

Sorry....I am saying I "wouldnt".

[Bazile]

I see .
Would you alternate them ?

[Barmaid]

Bazile, have you tried a tens machine?

I bought one recently for my hip injury and it's made a huge difference. I've used it on my wrist/arm/thumb too for my RSI. On my neck if I've slept funny. Shoulders, back, and it even eased my bunion pain!

I have not taken any pain killers for weeks as a result and I am sleeping much better.

[bednobs]

ibuprofen is supposed to be every 8 hrs (3 times a day)
Paracetamol is supposed to be every 6 hrs (4 times a day)

Personally i favour ibuprofen as it (in theory) lasts longer

[Sqad]

Yes, Bazile, I might, but only if the pain was intractable.

[carolegif]

I use Voltarol. I can’t take Ibuprofen, but used Ibuprofen gel on my knee when I fell a month ago. Make sure you wash the joint each time before you use it though, as I didn’t and I couldn’t move my knee for days!

[margarettom]

Definitely Ibuprofen gel for joint pain in my book.

[Vagus]

Ibruprofen gel did absolutely nothing for me for joint problems.
However, alternating paracetamol and ibruprofen really, really helped with both severe tooth ache and a joint problem I had.
I can only speak from experience.

[Bazile]

Do you have to take the same precaution when using ibuprofen gel as when taking the tablets ?

[Bazile]

.