Find out how much you know about Tylenol

Tynelol is simply a brand name. It is chemical name is something else, a long name, difficult to remember - N-Acetyl-para-aminophenol. Tylenol is owned by Johnson and Johnson healthcare group. this product is also named as Acetaminophen and Paracetamol, the name most commonly in use in the world.

As we all know, the medicine is available without a prescription from a physician. This practice was started as far back as in 1960.

This is a white, odorless powder with a slight bitter taste.

Remember, Acetaminophen is having analgesic and antipyretic actions, but certainly very minimal anti-inflammatory properties.

What does that mean?

It means that Tylenol can relieve our pain and reduce fever only. It cannot subside tissue changes that occur due any disease processes.

Again, remember, its action lasts for a certain period only. That means it is temporary. We need to take the medication again after a specific period.

What type pain it can reduce?

It relieves us from mild degree of pain, particularly due to common cold, toothache, minor injuries, muscle pain, backache, pain due to arthritis in joints. With regard to arthritis, we should remember that pain occurs due to the inflammation which is not controlled by this chemical.

For the above conditions, Tylenol is effective for all age groups including infants.

How does it reduces fever?

It blocks some chemicals which are released due to any disease process, acting on the brain's fever control center, which in the hypothalamus section in the brain.

We need to remember that the chemical does not do anything to arrest the disease process. It merely control fever.

How does it reduce pain?

It is interesting although this action has been well established for a long time, the exact place it acts upon and its exact mechanism of action is yet to find out! However, it is believed to act on the brain, more specifically on the Central Nervous System. .

it is recommended for the following conditions;

Once we ingest the medication in whatever form, it achieves its maximum level in blood within 30 minutes. After that its blood level slowly goes down over a period of 8 hours. That means its action lasts only 8 hours. By then, if the disease process is not over, fever and pain reappear.

You read earlier that the chemical will be in the blood within 30 minutes after taking it. Generally, food does not block its absorption into blood, although it may delay.

Yes, but if the mother took the recommended levels, its availability in breast milk does not pose any risk to the nursing baby.

Are you aware that more than 600 over the counter and prescription medications contain Acetaminophen?

Yes, we need to know and remember this very clearly since we can easily overdose ourselves and our kids too.

Be careful about over dosage of Acetaminophen. This may happen easily since most other common over the counter medications such as cough syrups contain the chemical. For more information watch the following video from the US Drug and Food Administration Authority.

The solid product can be kept safely for 3 years under room temperature and the liquid ones for only 2 years according to the company product information sources. However, it is not safe at higher temperatures than 104 F [40 C] and higher humidity conditions.