Tylenol is an over-the-counter medicine containing acetaminophen. It is used to help reduce pain and fever. It is one of the most common medicines on the market, yet some people have never taken it and would like to understand how it works, before they start treating themselves with it. Below, you will learn the basic information about this product, including the answer to the often-asked question: “How long does Tylenol take to kick in?”
What does Tylenol Contain and How does it affect your System?
Tylenol is one of the over-the-counter medicines you can use, when you suffer from muscle ache, fever and other types of pain. It is a light pain killer using acetaminophen as its active ingredient. Other products using acetaminophen are Excedrin and Feverall. Taken in a regular dosage, it will help you feel better, however, it is very important to respect the dosage, or you could be in danger of an overdose, which could have serious effect on your health. Therefore, if you ask yourself “how long does Tylenol take to work?” because you still haven’t felt relieved from the pain, no matter what you do, do not take another pill until it is okay to do so, according to what is written on the label of the product.
If you don’t respect the prescribed dosage, on a daily basis, acetaminophen can cause damage to your liver, and in excessive quantity, can kill you. If you have taken more than the regular dose and you start experiencing stomach pain and nausea, or if you lose your appetite, call your doctor right away. There is no “light” medicine. If the regular dose of Tylenol doesn’t reduce your pain or your fever, you then need to see a doctor before moving on to another medicine. It may be that your problem needs immediate attention.
There is a misconception about acetaminophen. Because you don’t need a prescription to buy it, people think it is less powerful than other medicines. That is why many take more than they should, and find themselves in an emergency room, having to detox rapidly. Some never get that chance as over 500 Americans, every year, die of acetaminophen overdose. It might be a small number, but it is still too much, when you think it could easily be avoided by respecting the dosage. It also causes 2,600 hospitalizations and 56,000 emergency visits to the hospital.
How Does Tylenol (acetaminophen) Work?
Acetaminophen is part of the medication that acts as an antipyretic and analgesic. That means it reduces fever and relieves pain. In truth, what it really does is enhance your tolerance level to pain, so you feel more comfortable while you are going through the fever and/or the pain. It works quite rapidly. However, it does not treat the inflammation going on inside your body, causing the symptoms, like acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) would do.
How Long for Tylenol to kick in and reduce the Discomfort?
Tylenol’s effect on an individual will vary according to a few factors. The weight of the patient may play a role, as well as the number of times an individual takes Tylenol. Someone who takes it often may need more time for the acetaminophen to start working. But the biggest variant may be according to what you have in your stomach.
When you ingest a Tylenol capsule, it needs to dissolve inside your digestive tract. Only then can it enter into your bloodstream and play its role. If you take a Tylenol on an empty stomach, it will dissolve faster and get to work after 15 minutes or so. On a full stomach, it may take up to 60 minutes. Tylenol is no miracle drug. You need to give it time for it to kick in. That is usually where people make the mistake of taking another caplet, finding themselves overdosing on acetaminophen, in the long run.
How Long will Tylenol Work?
That is also different from one person to another. The acetaminophen can be found in the bloodstream between four to eight hours following ingestion. Its effect rarely lasts longer than six hours and never below three.
How can you know the right dosage to take?
Inside all medicine you will find a pamphlet explaining the product and the dosage you should take. It is also found on the label. The quantity indicated on the bottle is not a suggestion, but a prescription you need to respect. Also, you are not supposed to take Tylenol on mid and long-term duration. If the pain or fever you are suffering from does not diminish or won’t go away after a few days, you need to stop treating yourself with acetaminophen and see a doctor for examination.
Keep bottles of Tylenol away form kids’ reach. If your child has taken a large dose in syrup form or has ingested many tablets, take them to the hospital right away.