(Dan Tri) - Taking high doses or long-term use of painkillers can impair liver function due to increased production of toxic metabolites, overloading the liver and causing serious damage.
Recently, a clip appeared on social media recording the image of a woman entering a pharmacy to buy paracetamol - one of the most popular painkillers, with the reason that her husband had a headache after drinking alcohol.
This person said that whenever her husband has a headache after drinking alcohol, she immediately buys medicine to take. The clip quickly received great attention from the online community.
Under the clip, many people expressed that they also have a similar habit, because they find that taking paracetamol helps relieve headaches quickly. However, some opposing opinions warn that this is a habit that leaves serious consequences for health, especially for the liver.
Multiply the burden on the liver
According to Master, Doctor Doan Du Manh, member of the Vietnam Vascular Disease Association, the abuse of painkillers such as paracetamol after drinking alcohol is a major threat to liver health.
Recently, a clip appeared on social media recording the image of a woman going to a pharmacy to buy paracetamol, with the reason that her husband had a headache after drinking alcohol (Photo: Cut from video).
When alcohol enters the body, the liver must work at full capacity to process and eliminate the toxic ethanol. This puts a lot of pressure on the liver. Meanwhile, paracetamol is also metabolized through the liver, increasing the burden, even causing severe liver toxicity, increasing the risk of hepatitis, liver failure and cirrhosis.
"When drinking alcohol, ethanol causes dehydration, electrolyte disturbances, dilation of blood vessels and headaches. Taking paracetamol immediately afterwards makes the liver work harder and irritates the stomach lining, which is especially dangerous for people with previous liver disease," Dr. Manh pointed out.
In addition, many people even "accidentally" exceed the safety limit because paracetamol is present in many other drugs such as cold medicine and over-the-counter pain relievers. Abusing other pain relievers such as ibuprofen and naproxen makes the liver more susceptible to damage.
In addition to painkillers, many antibiotics can also damage the liver if used inappropriately. Liver damage caused by antibiotics often occurs silently, making the patient unaware until the disease progresses seriously.
Symptoms such as jaundice, abdominal pain, fatigue, and nausea can be signs of serious liver damage.
Advice from the experts
Dr. Manh recommends that instead of taking painkillers after drinking alcohol, we should focus on solving the cause of headaches with healthier methods:
- Drink plenty of water: Add filtered water, ginger water or electrolyte solution to help the body quickly eliminate alcohol.
- Avoid drinking alcohol on an empty stomach: Eating a light meal before drinking alcohol or beer helps slow down the absorption of ethanol.
- Eat thin porridge and hot soup: Helps supplement sodium and potassium, helping the body recover quickly.
In addition, the doctor also emphasized that painkillers should only be used when absolutely necessary and following the doctor's instructions. Arbitrarily buying drugs or using the wrong dosage can lead to serious health consequences.
"Instead of relying on painkillers to deal with headaches after drinking alcohol, people should apply natural methods to reduce negative impacts on the liver. Small changes in habits can help protect a healthy liver and avoid potential risks in the future," Dr. Manh recommended.
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/suc-khoe/vo-mua-paracetamol-cho-chong-dau-dau-sau-chau-nhau-hai-gan-vo-cung-20250311083818461.htm
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