Medicines for Pain

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HealthWiki > Disabled Village Children > Chapter 15: Painful Joints > Medicines for Pain

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In this chapter:

 

In this chapter:

Some children have pain that will go away or lessen only by using pain medicine. For conditions that include swollen joints, like arthritis and rheumatic fever, ibuprofen and aspirin are usually the best medicines because they help control pain and also reduce inflammation (swelling and damage to joints). If there are no swollen joints, use paracetamol (acetaminophen) for pain.

Aspirin

Precautions: Do not give aspirin to people with asthma, children younger than 1 year old, or children with flu signs. If possible, avoid giving to children younger than 12 years old and use ibuprofen instead. Aspirin can cause stomach pain or heartburn. To avoid this, give with food or a large glass of water.

Age	Dose	How to take
12 years and older	300-600 mg	By mouth, every 4 to 6 hours as needed

Ibuprofen

Precautions: Do not give ibuprofen to children younger than 1 year old. Ibuprofen can cause stomach pain or heartburn. To avoid this, give with food or a large glass of water.

Age	Dose	How to take
1 to 2 years	75 mg	By mouth, every 6 to 8 hours as needed
2 to 3 years	100 mg	By mouth, every 6 to 8 hours as needed
4 to 5 years	150 mg	By mouth, every 6 to 8 hours as needed
6 to 8 years	200 mg	By mouth, every 6 to 8 hours as needed
9 to 10 years	200 to 250 mg	By mouth, every 6 to 8 hours as needed
11 years	300 mg	By mouth, every 6 to 8 hours as needed
12 years and older	200 to 400 mg	By mouth, every 6 to 8 hours as needed

Paracetamol (acetaminophen)

Precautions: Do not give more than the recommended amount. Too much is poisonous to the liver.

Age	Dose	How to take
under 1 year	62 mg (half of ¼ of 500 mg tablet)	By mouth, every 4 to 6 hours as needed
1 to 2 years	125 mg (¼ of 500 mg tablet)	By mouth, every 4 to 6 as needed
3 to 7 years	250 mg (½ of 500 mg tablet)	By mouth, every 4 to 6 hours as needed
8 to 12 years	375 mg (¾ of 500 mg tablet)	By mouth, every 4 to 6 hours as needed
over 12 years	500 to 1000 mg	By mouth, every 4 to 6 hours as needed

For information about other medicines for pain, see the Green Pages in Where There Is No Doctor.

This page was updated:04 Apr 2024