What is the difference between Tylenol and Advil?!
Question:
What is the difference between Tylenol and Advil?
Answers:
Differences:
Advil is an Ibuprofen. Ibuprofen reduces hormones that cause pain and inflammation (swelling). It's in a family of drugs that blocks specific enzymes involved in the inflammation process. The closest relative to Advil is Motrin. Other meds in this family are: Bayer (aspirin) and Aleve. A major side effect of Ibuprofen is the harmful effect on people's stomach linings. It's great for reducing swelling and thinning the blood for the immediate treatment of heart attack (at that moment). Prolonged overuse of ibuprofen can CAUSE heart problems.
Tylenol is an Acetaminophen. Acetaminophen works through the liver. It raises the pain threshold so it's pretty much just trying to numb yourself to the pain. It also targets the part of the brain that regulates the body temperature by telling the body to get cooler. In the U.S., the Tylenol brand pretty much covers the acetaminophen market. Compared with Ibuprofen, Acetaminophen works better for fever reduction. Prolonged overuse of Acetaminophen is liver and kidney damage.
More doctors and hospitals have and recommend Tylenol over Advil, but that doesn't always mean Tylenol is better.
Obvious similarities are pain management like headaches, joint and muscle pain and reduction of fever.
For pain management in pregnant women, doctors would AVOID Advil and use Tylenol instead (but only under close observation).
For menstrual pain, Advil is preferred. Midol and Pamprin are in the Ibuprofen family anyway.
For children, Tylenol is marginally safer.
Of course then there are people with allergies to either Ibuprofen or Tylenol.
In short, if you think you're relatively healthy, without any allergies to anything and you prefer not to get advice from a doctor and you need to know immediately:
For Inflammation: prefer Advil
- not recommended for pregnant women
- not recommended for children
For Fever: prefer Tylenol
- not recommended for people with liver or kidney disease
- not recommended for people who consume three or more alcholic drinks daily
In case of unknown allergies, please see a doctor first before taking any of these medicines.