As a “superflu” and other winter illnesses circulate, an alarming number of people are becoming unwell across the country this winter.
This spread has prompted some NHS leaders to formally urge members of the public who are experiencing symptoms to wear masks.
Figures released today highlight the severity of the situation, with flu hospitalisations having surged by more than half (55%) in just one week.
This massive increase has officially plunged the NHS into a “worst case scenario” situation for the month of December. Last week, an average of 2,660 patients per day were admitted to hospital beds with flu, marking the highest number ever recorded for this time of year.
With so many people falling poorly, it can be helpful to know which medicine is best to take. Thankfully an expert previously spoke to the Mirror about ibuprofen and paracetamol.
Abbas Kanani, the superintendent pharmacist at Chemist Click, said: “Paracetamol is probably more effective at bringing down temperature, so it’s almost like a double-whammy, you get rid of your headache and bring your temperature down.
“But if you feel that you have more body aches, that’s your main symptom, then ibuprofen is probably slightly better as it’s an anti-inflammatory.”
However, he cautioned users to be mindful of potential allergies to ibuprofen, which belongs to a specific class of drugs.
He also revealed that many people are unaware that they can actually take both medicines together when feeling particularly unwell.
“If you feel that one isn’t enough you can take ibuprofen as well as paracetamol, you can take them together. A lot of people don’t know that it’s not one or the other, you can put them together as they work in different ways.”
While these two medications can alleviate aches, pains and fevers, as well as mild cold and flu symptoms, Abbas notes that they won’t be particularly effective for those struggling with coughs and nasal congestion.
To address these specific symptoms, you’d need to utilise cold and flu products instead.
For example, medicines containing a decongestant would be ideal for a blocked nose, while an expectorant would be needed for mucus coughs and a cough suppressant for a dry, tickly cough.
However, when taking cold and flu medicines, always ensure to check the packaging and leaflet to see what other products can be safely taken concurrently.
While it’s possible to double up on paracetamol and ibuprofen, you may not be able to combine these with other medications.
