By MB Lifestyle

Filipinos are known for being ‘matiisin’ when it comes to enduring the toughness of our daily grind—all for providing a better life for our loved ones.  We often try to ignore the aches and pains due to our fear that medicines will have a negative effect on our bodies.  But there’s no need to tolerate body pain, as effective yet safe medicines are available, as found by research. The question is: which formulation provides quick, worry-free pain relief?

Ibuprofen + Paracetamol: The most effective way to combat body pain

The combination of ibuprofen and paracetamol is the most effective over-the-counter (OTC) pain medicine among OTC pain medicines studied according to a 2015 scientific review by the world-renowned independent research institution, Cochrane. They evaluate health interventions and are best known for their systematic reviews, which select only high-grade clinical researches in assessing the effectiveness and safety of medicines.

Among the different formulations studied, which include ibuprofen, naproxen, paracetamol, and aspirin, the combination ibuprofen and paracetamol had the highest success rate in providing pain relief. This combination works because while paracetamol and ibuprofen are both painkillers, they also have different mechanisms of action. As a combination, it has both analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, indicating that it can reduce pain and swelling which also causes pain.

Ibuprofen and paracetamol can work together to effectively fight body pain. According to Unilab Medical Director Dr. Jonas Policarpio, “On one side, ibuprofen inhibits the release of prostaglandins; while on the other side, paracetamols reset the pain threshold in the brain, harnessing synergies to be able to provide better potency even at low doses while maintaining an excellent margin of safety. Their actions then become complementary, and the effect is synergistic. It’s like a one-two punch.”

A low-dose combination for a safe pain relief

Photo shows (from left): Weightlifting champion and Alaxan ambassador Hidilyn Diaz tackles body pains head-on with Alaxan FR, given the physical demands of her field. Manny Pacquiao, a boxing legend and Alaxan ambassador, has relied on Alaxan FR for 22 years to alleviate body pains from sports and daily life. He attests to its safety with no side effects.

The same review of studies has also shown that the combination of ibuprofen and paracetamol has less adverse effects than placebo which proves that this combination is not likely to cause serious harmful effects on our body when used at the recommended dose.

When assessed whether individually or as a combination, paracetamol is generally perceived to be harmless, but Ibuprofen and other NSAIDs are perceived differently. On the contrary, ibuprofen has been found safe when used as directed.

A scientific paper titled “Ibuprofen Safety at the Golden Anniversary: Are all NSAIDs the Same? A Narrative Review”  did a comprehensive analysis of published research on NSAIDs. It concluded that Ibuprofen is ranked among the safest of the NSAID pain relievers. NSAIDs are not all the same when it comes to safety profiles. “Risk for GI adverse events, (cardiovascular) side effects, renal, and hepatotoxic effects are very low with ibuprofen compared with other NSAIDs”. This means that ibuprofen was found to have a very low risk of harm to the gastrointestinal tract, heart, kidney, and liver when taken at the recommended OTC dose.

Another finding of this research was that the health risks were more associated with high therapeutic doses. 200mg of Ibuprofen is low in comparison to these prescription-grade medicines.

Among the OTC medications in the Philippines that utilize this effective combination is Alaxan. It combines a lower level of ibuprofen (200mg) and paracetamol (325mg) to improve its safety profile while harnessing the synergistic effect of the two ingredients.  It offers relief of mild to moderately severe pain such as muscle pain, arthritis, rheumatism, sprain, strain, tendonitis, backache, stiff neck, tension headache, dysmenorrhea, toothache, pain after tooth extraction, and minor surgical operations.

Trusted by many Filipinos for decades, there has been no serious side effects attributable to Alaxan. That is because of its low-dose combination of ibuprofen and paracetamol. This along with following the right dosage helps to deliver worry-free pain relief for Filipinos.

Proper Dosage is a Must
As with any treatment, following the recommended dosage is a must. For adults and children 12 years and older, the proper dose is one tablet or capsule every six hours. Do not take longer than 10 days, unless directed by a doctor. Consult your doctor too if you have any serious medical condition. Like any medicine, do not take Ibuprofen+Paracetamol if you have allergies.

For more information, visit their Facebook Page at @AlaxanFastRelief or visit their website: more about Alaxan. If symptoms persist, consult your doctor.