Tag: Drug Facts label

If your child needs a fever reducer, it is best to choose one type of medicine: either acetaminophen (Children’s Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Children’s Motrin, Children’s Advil). Always consult your doctor first if you are considering alternating between acetaminophen and ibuprofen to treat a stubborn fever. If your doctor does recommend alternating, write down on a […]

Children’s abdominal complaints have many potential causes, most of which are not dangerous, but some (such as appendicitis) can be life threatening. For this reason, all belly problems should be monitored closely and treated with care. To help parents determine the best course of action when their child has abdominal upset, I’ve summarized the most […]

When your little one is sick, nothing is more important than knowing how to treat them with care. The makers of pediatric liquid acetaminophen, the most commonly used medicine to treat pain and fever in children, have made certain changes to help parents ensure proper dosing. There used to be two concentrations: one for infants […]

It’s that time of the year again. Pollen levels around the country are rapidly increasing at the same time that some of my patients are catching cold viruses at the tail-end of winter. How can you tell if your runny nose and watery eyes are a result of allergies or a cold virus? Sometimes it’s […]

What causes the flu? Every year, 5 to 20% of Americans become sick with the flu. This illness is caused by a highly contagious family of influenza (“flu”) viruses that live in human respiratory droplets and are transmitted from person to person through the air and on surfaces that have been touched by individuals with […]

What is acetaminophen and how does it work? Acetaminophen is a pain reliever and fever reducer that is an active ingredient in many over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription (Rx) medicines, including not only pain relievers and fever reducers but also medicines for cough, cold, allergy and sleep aids. It was first marketed in the United States […]

Pain is one of the most challenging symptoms to treat. It can be caused by many different things such as heat, cold, pressure, traction, inflammation, and nerve damage. Over-the-counter (OTC) pain medicines offer a wide variety of treatment options for the various types of pain. It’s important to understand the cause of your pain in […]

Colds and flu: what’s the difference? Many of my patients are not sure how to tell the difference between a cold and the flu. Their confusion is understandable since colds and flu share some (but not all) of the same symptoms. Here’s how I describe how to tell if you are infected with a cold […]

All over-the-counter (OTC) medicines contain a Drug Facts label on their outer package that tells you how, when, and how often to use a medicine. It also provides important information that is always presented in the same format. This is a copy of a typical Drug Facts label. Notice that the first section is about […]