Ibuprofen or paracetamol? Ibuprofen or paracetamol? Pharmacist reveals which is better

Normally, when faced with headaches, fever, cough or general discomfort, the question arises: Is it better to take paracetamol or ibuprofen? This question has been answered by Boticaria Garcia, a pharmacist and collaborator in various television programs. The expert has explained the 'powers' of each one.

"They are the most popular superheroes against pain, but with some differences," she said. The pharmacist went on to explain the properties of ibuprofen: "It has a triple power, the triple A: it is analgesic, it relieves pain; it is antipyretic, it reduces fever; and anti-inflammatory, it reduces inflammation. Paracetamol, on the other hand, does not have triple, but double A: "It is analgesic and antipyretic. That is to say, it relieves pain and reduces fever, but it is not anti-inflammatory".

When to use paracetamol and when is it better to take ibuprofen

Boticaria Garcia explained when each of these over-the-counter medicines should be used: "Paracetamol is going to be very useful if we have a headache, fever or general malaise. However, if what we have are discomfort related to inflammation, such as a toothache, sprains, pharyngitis, in that case it would be more appropriate to use ibuprofen."

However, the pharmaceutical company has issued a serious warning when taking the above-mentioned medicines: "Important: caution with ibuprofen when there are stomach problems and with paracetamol if there is liver disease. that, even if they are over-the-counter, it is advisable to consult your healthcare professional."

In this way, despite not choosing either of the two options, Boticaria Garcia has tried to explain that both are two valid solutions, always depending on the pain we have and knowing how they act in our body. Each one has different properties and it is very important to know them before taking ibuprofen or paracetamol