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BE CAREFUL WHEN TREATING HEADACHES

When Leslie Murphy ascended to chairwoman of the American Headaches are a fact of life during tax season. So are backaches, arthritis and many other miscellaneous aches and pain aggravated by long periods of intense work at a desk. When these inevitable aches appear, most of us turn to over-the-counter medications like acetaminophen as a safe way to reduce if not eliminate these minor pains that interrupt our day.

Unfortunately, acetaminophen overdoses account for more than 56,000 visits to the emergency room, as well as 458 deaths from acute liver failure, according to results from a new study by researchers at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle, Washington. The study, published in the March issue of the Harvard Women's Health Watch, reports that the percentage of acute liver failure cases attributed to acetaminophen nearly doubled between 1998 and 2003, rising from 28 percent to 51 percent.

Researchers are careful to emphasize that acetaminophen is safe when taken as directed. The problem arises when people take more than they realize, which is easy to do if an individual takes a pain reliever while also taking other over-the-counter combination medications, many of which also contain acetaminophen.

To reduce the risk of accidental overdose of acetaminophen, Harvard Women's Health Watch suggests:

* Read The Label. For adults the recommended intake is 4,000 milligrams or 12 regular strength or 8 extra strength acetaminophen tablets or capsules per day.

* Use Caution With Combinations. Check the labels, especially of over-the-counter combination medications, but also of prescription painkillers to be sure the maximum daily dosage is not being exceeded.

* Alternate Painkillers. If the recommended dosage of acetaminophen does not relieve the pain, discuss alternating it with anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen or aspirin, with your doctor.

* Limit Alcohol Consumption. Although many labels recommend against using acetaminophen on days when three or more alcoholic drinks have been consumed, people metabolize alcohol at different rates and in different ways. The best course is to avoid alcohol entirely when taking acetaminophen.

Written by Jay Hammond, AccountingWEB Managing Editor. Jhammond@AccountingWEB.com

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