Analgesic combination, acetaminophen/salicylate (oral route)

Anacin Aspirin Free, Apra, Arthritis Pain Relief, Backprin, Be-Flex Plus, By-Ache, Cafgesic Forte, Cetafen, Children's Mapap, Children's Nortemp, Combiflex, Comtrex Sore Throat Relief, Dolono, Durabac, Durabac Forte, Febrol, Genaced, Genapap, Genebs, Goody's Fast Pain Relief, Infantaire, Levacet, Mapap, Mapap Arthritis Pain, Pain-Eze +/Rheu-Thritis, Pyrecot, Pyregesic, Q-Pap, Redutemp, Silapap, T-Painol, Tycolene, Tylenol

Acetaminophen and salicylate combination medicines relieve pain and reduce fever. They may be used to relieve occasional pain caused by mild inflammation or arthritis (rheumatism). The acetaminophen, aspirin, and caffeine combination also may be used to relieve pain associated with migraine headaches. Neither acetaminophen nor salicylamide is as effective as aspirin for treating chronic or severe pain, or other symptoms, caused by inflammation or arthritis. Some of these combination medicines do not contain any aspirin. Even those that do contain aspirin may not contain enough to be effective in treating these conditions. A few reports have suggested that acetaminophen and salicylates used together may cause kidney damage or cancer of the kidney or urinary bladder. This may occur if large amounts of both medicines are taken together for a very long time. However, taking usual amounts of these combination medicines for a short time has not been shown to cause these unwanted effects. Also, these effects are not likely to occur with either acetaminophen or a salicylate used alone, even if large amounts have been taken for a long time. Therefore, for long-term use, it may be best to use either acetaminophen or a salicylate, but not both, unless you are under a doctor's care. Before giving any of these combination medicines to a child, check the package label very carefully. Some of these medicines are too strong for use in children.If you are not certain whether a specific product can be given to a child, or if you have any questions about the amount to give, check with your health care professional. These medicines are available without a prescription. However, your doctor may have special instructions on the proper dose of these medicines for your medical condition. This product is available in the following dosage forms:

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to medicines in this group or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully. Elderly people may be more likely than younger adults to develop serious kidney problems if they take large amounts of these combination medicines for a long time. Therefore, it is best that elderly people not take this medicine for more than 5 days in a row unless they are under a doctor's care. Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking any of these medicines, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive. Using medicines in this class with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with a medication in this class or change some of the other medicines you take. Using medicines in this class with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines. Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco. Using medicines in this class with any of the following is usually not recommended, but may be unavoidable in some cases. If used together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use your medicine, or give you special instructions about the use of food, alcohol, or tobacco. The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of medicines in this class. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially: