Which OTC pain killers for a survival kit?

J

Josh Wilson

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Aug 3, 2000
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Which over the counter pain killer(s) should you keep in a First Aid or Survival kit and when is one preferable over another? It seems they each have different strengths. Here is my knowledge so far.

Tylenol/acetaminophen: Childrens doses availible. Reduces fever. Doesn't reduce swelling or inflamation

Aspirin: Not for use with children. Reduces swelling and inflamation. Potential stomach and kidney problems with some people.

Ibuprofen: Reduces Fever. Reduces swelling and inflamation.

If anyone could further my understanding or point me to a good resouce on the subject I would appreciate it.
 
Which one do you use and does it work well for you? Do you have any allegies that preclude your using one or another.

You can use these combinations for a synergistic effect:
Tylenol plus aspirin or
Tylenol plus Ibuprofen

DO NOT MIX aspirin and Ibuprofen

I'm allergic to Ibuprofen related drugs, so I carry the other two.
 
I carry ibuprofen. Asperin still works great and we keep a bottle around the house, but to me, it isn't as effective as advil etc.

I won't take tylenol. It doesn't bother me physically, but if you need to take extra over the course of a few days for severe pain, you could poison yourself and from what my paramedic sis-in-law says, an overdose of tylenol can't be reversed and death comes knocking.

Another consideration is aleve, but I've never taken it and don't know much about it.
 
Geraldo- I don't have any allergies and I don't get the stomach irritation that some people get from Aspirin. That being said a first aid kit might be used by others so I would want some flexibility in this area.

I am also interested in when one might be used over another, particullarly for outdoors/hiking/camping activities. For example; what works best for sprains, sore muscles, fevers, etc.
 
I switched to Aleve about a year ago. For me it is THE over the counter pain killer. But as stated before it's what works for you.
 
As Geraldo stated - Ibuprofen (or another NSAID) can be used w/ Tylenol. You need to be careful with both - NSAIDs (for the most part) will increase your bleeding time, and may damage your kidneys in high/prolonged doses (they basically disable your platelets - the reason Aspirin works in the case of heart attacks), while tylenol can damage your liver.

In recommended doses, tylenol is generally safe (1000mg every 6 hours is the max you would want to take, but I would keep it to under 650mg every 6 hours to be safer), however, if you have pre-existing liver disease (cirrhosis, hepatitis, etc...) or if you are a habitual drinker, you should approach tylenol w/ caution. Although Tylenol ODs can be treated, the treatment is not always successful (it depends on how much was taken & how soon treatment begins).

Personally, I would carry both - Tylenol is a more potent antipyretic in my experience, but Ibuprofen has the same pain relieving abilities & additional antiinflammatory properties that make it worthwhile.

Be sure to watch the expiration dates, though.

Sam
 
Tylenol doesn't touch me unless I take a fair share over the recommended dosage(took 3 T3s in an hour once, didn't phase me... adding 2 advil started it).

advil doesn't touch me on it's own.

Asprin will take the edge off a headache, but again takes more than the recommended(like 4 at a time, every 2-3hrs)

I'm using super strength motrin for now, 500mg a pill. they work for now.
 
VW - how many of the "supersize" Motrin are you taking & how often? The active ingredient in Advil & Motrin is exactly the same - ibuprofen - funny one would work & the other wouldn't.

Make sure you take it w/ food/milk - NSAID induced gastritis or ulcer disease can be severe. Keep yourself well hydrated - lots of water.

Sam
 
Originally posted by thebladerunr
I switched to Aleve about a year ago. For me it is THE over the counter pain killer. But as stated before it's what works for you.
Click to expand...


AMEN!

BTW, Aleve is the brand name for Naproxen Sodium.

Al
 
Flotsam: Depends on how bad it is, sometimes 1 every 4hrs.

I got a chair in the face 2 yrs ago, hairline fracture to lower right jaw that never fully healed. Pretty much daily headaches for 2yrs(sept 18, 01). Talking headaches that get bad enough to keep me in bed some days.

The day after the incident, I was at work... in the 3hrs between getting out of school and starting my shift, I had enough painkiller that I should have been out cold... 185lbs, quite healthy, was biking 20km+ every day.

3 T3s, 2 extra strength Advil, and 2 extra strength Motrin. It was after the Motrin that I started feeling better.

Pain killers don't have much affect on my body.

My dentist used me as a lab rat to test the new stuff 2yrs ago. The old stuff would take 5min to start working and only last for about 10-15min before I had full feeling. The new stuff hit in 5min still, but got 30min of time.
 
For pure muscular, Aleve or generic works best for me.

For other stuff, I take Percogesic or its generic equiv. Has acetaminophen (325mg) and phenyltoloxamine citrate (30mg). This stuff breaks fevers like nothing else I've found.

Found out about it in Wilderness Medicine by Wm. Forgey. Good book for med kit structuring.
 
The active ingredient in Advil & Motrin is exactly the same - ibuprofen - funny one would work & the other wouldn't.
Click to expand...

The active ingredients work in combination with the other ingredients in unpredictable ways. Brand names work differently for different people, as do the generic versions.

Personally, I vouch for Aleve. Tylenol never seems to do much in the way of pain relief for me. But, again, it's just a matter of experimenting to see what works best for you.


but if you need to take extra over the course of a few days for severe pain, you could poison yourself and from what my paramedic sis-in-law says, an overdose of tylenol can't be reversed and death comes knocking
Click to expand...

Acetaminophen is hepatotoxic (harms the liver) in overdose. In fact, acetaminophen overdose is the cause of most cases of liver failure in the US and Europe. That being said, however, it is only toxic to the liver if it overwhelms the liver's ability to handle it. With a preexisting liver condition, you are likely to see hepatotoxicity at much lower doses than in a healthy liver.
 
The single most likely life threatening hazard you face, in the forest or in the city, is heart attack. One of the ways I avoided heart damage when I had my heart attack two years ago was by chewing up two aspirin and washing them down with water at the first sign of chest pain. I didn't wait to calculate the odds that it was a heart attack, I took the aspirin first--then I looked for additional indications that I had real trouble. When the pain and tingling radiated down my arms to my fingers I called 911. Due to the aspirin and rapid intervention by the paramedics the blood clot never achieved 100% obstruction of the artery in my heart.

So the number one thing to go in the kit is aspirin.

For pain relief you can use your experience as a guide. For me Aleve (naproxen sodium) is my best friend. It works on migraine headaches, muscle aches, and dental pain. It lasts around 12 hours. It reduces swelling and inflamation. Some people who routinely take large doses can have stomach problems. I don't have that problem. For me Tylenol (acetaminiphen) works well on dental pain, but does little for headaches. Ibuprophen works on muscle aches, but not for headaches. I carry aspirin and Aleve.
 
BTW. The average age for a first heart attack is only 52. It is very common to have a first heart attack in your mid 40's. I had mine at age 52. I had already been on a low fat diet and a regular excercise program for 2 years at the time of my heart attack. I do not smoke. My weight was not all that high. My colesterol was low. My blood pressure was good. The only risk factor that I had was genetic (my mother died of a heart attack at age 52). It could happen to you! Bring aspirin in your first aid kit, in your pack, and keep it in your glove compartment.
 
I am going on my first long distance flight in years,
next week. I am a large individual (6'4" 300lbs) and
am a little worried about all those stories about
people getting embolisms after sitting in cramped seats.

Would taking a couple of aspirin provide any protection?
 
Yes, taking aspirin before a flight would help. I am assuming that you don't have problems with bleeding like: recent injuries that are tending to swell, ulcers, tendency towards brain hemorages, etc. I would take the aspirin a couple hours before the flight. Don't do things to overstress your kidneys like heavy drinking if you are taking aspirin.
 
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