The silent healer

The National Cure for All, so went the email forward on Panadol. How many Panadols do we consume everyday? We take Panadol for almost everything from headaches, tummy aches, stomach cramps, fever to flu. I heard somewhere that Panadol leaves residue in our bodies for up to seven years. If too much is taken over a period of time, there is a risk of delayed, serious liver damage.

Cause for concern, yes. And yet we still pop them in our mouths faithfully every now and then.

But does Panadol really work? Panadol Tablets are an effective pain reliever and fever reducer and are suitable for all ages from 6 years old. The tablets contain paracetamol which is an analgesic (pain killer) and antipyretic (helps to reduce body temperature when you have a fever). The tablets are suitable for headache, tension headache, migraine, backache, rheumatic and muscle pain, neuralgia, toothache, period pain. They also relieve discomfort in colds, influenza, sore throat and help reduce temperature. Panadol Tablets are also recommended for the relief of pain due to mild arthritis.

The Panadol issue, maybe it is psychological for most people. We grew up watching our parents take Panadol whenever they had a headache and then at school, most people had Panadol with them either in their schoolbag’s or with the teachers or could be purchased at the canteen. And at work, they are of course found in large quantities! So we are automatically conditioned to take Panadol everytime we have some sort of minor ailment or after a major hangover...

I stopped taking Panadol since two years ago after I was diagnosed with Pulmonary Tuberculosis ( PTB ) where I had to consume 14 pills a day. I have since recovered but the incident put me off pills for good. My mother is a Panadol maniac. She consumes Panadol like candy everytime she has an ache or headache. The same as my colleague who pops at least 2 pills everyday…for everything from a headache right up to stress. I guess it gives us all temporary and instant relief. I for one, hate swallowing them…they are huge. If I have a cramp that just won’t go away, I try to bear through it, or if I have a headache I just reach out for some medicated oil. Nevertheless, when I have a hangover, which is a rare occurrence, then sometimes I do take them.

At the end of the day, despite all the facts and side effects of Panadol, we know we will always turn to our dear friends for quick relief now and then so Thank you, Panadol for being there with us throughout the years. You have indeed been a faithful comforter in troubling times.