TAKING ACETAMINOPHEN FOR PAIN? BEWARE OF DANGERS OF OVERDOSE

Aches and pains? Many of us reach for Tylenol without much thought and voila! . . . pain gone. But, while acetaminophen is considered safe at the recommended dosage, a modest overdose can be dangerous or even fatal.

Acetaminophen overdoses are the leading cause of acute liver failure in the U.S. Tragically it is easy to overdose because of its ubiquity in over-the-counter and prescription drugs like common cold and flu medications.

According to the FDA, the drugs narrow safety margin puts many users close to a toxic dose in ordinary use without even knowing it.

This is personal for us at MSSC. At age 40, a family member of one of our staff began experiencing severe headaches and thought she could handle the pain by taking acetaminophen (Tylenol); each passing week she was increasing the dosages and by the time she finally sought out the advice of her doctor, she had already caused permanent damage. She passed away a few short months later from acute liver failure.

We encourage you to be diligent in reading proper dosages on all over-the-couter medications. If you are taking acetaminophen for aches and pains and aren’t getting relief from the recommended dosage, DO NOT increase your dosage. Seek advice from your health care professional. Michigan Sports and Spine Center, led by Dr. Jeff S. Pierce, specializes in pain management and can help you relieve your pain safely. Please call us at our main office 248-680-9000 if you would like to speak to someone about pain management.