We don’t know about you, but we’ve always been under the assumption that Advil and Tylenol were pretty much interchangeable. Well, apparently we were wrong. According to an article from the Wall Street Journal, these medications work best when taken for certain ailments, mostly because they work differently in the body and can have various side effects.
Here’s a rundown:
- Headache: Tylenol (or its generic, acetaminophen), because it’s associated with fewer side effects.
- Inflamed elbow: Advil (ibuprofen) will likely bring greater relief.
- Fever: Either will work, but studies show Advil may have the slight edge.
- Sports injuries, muscle soreness: Advil, because of its anti-inflammatory properties.
- Back pain and osteoarthritis: Advil. A recent study found that acetaminophen was ineffective in treating lower back pain and had minimal benefits for people with osteoarthritis.
While both medicines are largely considered safe, it’s believed that taking too much acetaminophen can damage the liver. And ibuprofen is part of a category of medicines called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, that can cause gastrointestinal problems such as upset stomach and internal bleeding. Other types of NSAIDs include Motrin, which also contains ibuprofen; aspirin and naproxen, which is in Aleve.
Relevant source:
http://www.wsj.com/articles/advil-vs-tylenol-which-to-use-and-when-1431364490
Curated from the Wall Street Journal
