Health x Wellness

Pain Relief for the Busy Working Parent

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As a modern working parent, your best is needed both at work and at home and that means that you can ill-afford to ignore aches and pains.

When it comes to education, standard of living and healthcare, Singapore is at a very high level. Unfortunately, when it comes to parenting, the demands placed on guardians and the accompanying stress levels are very high as well.

A survey carried out in 2016 by The Families for Life Council revealed that only half of the respondents were able to spend more than 36 hours a week with their families, and long hours at work was cited by half of the respondents who were unable to spend quality time with their families.

Hence, it’s no exaggeration to say that parents in Singapore who take it upon themselves to spend quality time with the family are pretty much our society’s unsung heroes. It comes at a cost, however, as many working parents operate as though they are actual superheroes, bearing the full brunt of stress and physical exertions from their jobs before switching to the familiar pressures of parenthood thereafter. Let’s not forget also that for some parents, they too, have the added responsibility of keeping an eye on their own ageing parents as well.

While dealing with their children’s aches and pains are a given for any parent, many will choose to brush aside their own ailments. It’s common knowledge that parents of young children tend to fall sick more easily as they pick up infections from their children, who are particularly vulnerable.

Fortunately, help is on the way. Singapore recently re-categorised MAXIGESIC® from being a prescription drug and it is now available as an over-the-counter (OTC) medication available in the pain relief section of local and leading pharmacies throughout Singapore.

MAXIGESIC® combines two trusted active ingredients* in a world-first specific combination of paracetamol 500mg and ibuprofen 150mg to provide fast, effective relief for moderate pain and fever. It is a step up from your regular painkillers and it does not contain potentially addictive opioids, which is usually found in more potent analgesics.

Therefore, MAXIGESIC® is particularly useful in the treatment of mild to medium pain such as back pain, headaches, period pain. Common scenarios include:

  • Pain relief for headaches brought on by a busy work day coupled with a long night looking after the children
  • Muscle pain due to lifting and carrying children and toddlers without proper technique
  • Back pains and headaches due to lack of sleep, pressure, sleeping badly and dehydration as children wake up for comfort frequently through the night

Working parents who keep active and fit by working out can also experience pains due to muscle recovery. In instances where the pain can be distracting at work, MAXIGESIC® can help you perform at your best by offering relief so you don’t have to fight through the pain.

The Active Age spoke with Louise Clayton, Director of International Business at AFT Pharmaceutical, creator and distributor of MAXIGESIC® in Singapore, to ask about some of the questions that people will naturally have about these ‘combination’ painkillers.

The Active Age (AA): What’s the difference when it comes to taking MAXIGESIC® as compared to taking the individual components separately?

Louise Clayton (LC): First things first, based on our research*, we have found that MAXIGESIC® is 32% more effective than paracetamol alone. (More) importantly, the key point is that the combination of both paracetamol and ibuprofen through MAXIGESIC® works better for pain relief.

NPS MedicineWise, an independent, not-for-profit and evidence-based Australian organisation shared summaries of comparative studies done where paracetamol/ibuprofen combinations offer similar pain relief to that of codeine-based analgesics. In this study, the combination of paracetamol and ibuprofen was assessed across a variety of situations involving pain, specifically in people post-dental surgery. The study found that a combination was more effective than taking paracetamol alone.

Given that many analgesics and cough and cold medicines containing low-dose codeine will become prescription only, it might be timely to consider alternatives that are just as, or more effective.

AA: When it comes to working parents and their daily routines, what areas do you see MAXIGESIC® helping with?

LC: We designed/created MAXIGESIC® to help with pain relief scenarios such as headaches, migraines, dental pain, backache, period pain, muscular pain. When pain is intense it affects performance and mood; two things that parents know are needed when managing a full schedule at work and children at home.

AA: It’s normal for people to be more cautious about taking painkillers. How safe are paracetamol and ibuprofen, the key components of MAXIGESIC®?

LC: Paracetamol and ibuprofen have a long history of safe use as over-the-counter drugs. The WHO Model Lists of Essential Medicines – updated every two years – has listed these two drugs since before 2002. This list outlines a list of medications considered to be most effective and safe to meet needs within a healthcare system.

AA: Are there any instances where people should avoid taking MAXIGESIC® or perhaps consult a doctor first?

LC: Yes definitely. If you are allergic to ibuprofen, aspirin, paracetamol or anti-inflammatory medicines, or are in your last 3 months of pregnancy, or you have a stomach ulcer or other stomach disorders, impaired kidney function or heart failure. We recommend everyone to check with their local pharmacist or health care professional if you need advice on pain relief.

AA: In Singapore, many of us are taught not to be over-reliant on drugs, be it antibiotics or painkillers. When should one take painkillers for relief and what constitutes good practice when it comes to pain management?

LC: It’s important to be aware of your body. When the pain makes it difficult for you to function normally or perform at your best at work or at home. As with any drug or medication, please refer to directions and dosage on the pack and employ practicality and the concept of balance when taking painkillers. Take them to be able to function well in the office or at home. If it’s possible, have a day of rest, hydrate well and rest in, for a different method of pain recovery whether from exercise or the children.

*Merry, A. F., Gibbs, R. D., Edwards, J., Ting, G. S., Frampton, C., Davies, E. and Anderson, B. J. (2010). “Combined acetaminophen and ibuprofen for pain relief after oral surgery in adults: a randomized controlled trial” British Journal of Anaesthesia 104(1): 80-88. Result achieved in a trial of post-operative pain relief after removal of 1–4 wisdom teeth using 2 tablets MAXIGESIC compared with paracetamol 1000mg or ibuprofen 300mg alone 4 times a day (paracetamol 4000mg or ibuprofen 1200mg per day). Research sponsored by AFT Pharmaceuticals.


“Pain Relief for the Busy Working Parent” is a sponsored article written in conjunction with Maxigesic.

 

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