Pain Relief in Children: Ibuprofen Wins Again

I discussed in an earlier post that parents may want to consider ibuprofen (Motrin) as the first line medicine over acetaminophen (Tylenol) for their child’s pains and fevers. Now, there’s a new study comparing ibuprofen to a Tylenol-codeine combo for pain, and ibuprofen was just as effective. Here’s the comment from JournalWatch:

These findings should encourage the use of ibuprofen to treat acute traumatic extremity pain in children. This study also serves as a reminder that codeine is a poor analgesic and that an effective opioid, such as hydrocodone or oxycodone, should be considered for children with moderate-to-severe pain that is not effectively relieved by ibuprofen or acetaminophen.

Review: Analgesia in Children: Ibuprofen as Effective as Acetaminophen-Codeine – Emergency Medicine.

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