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Acetaminophen is a medication that can help treat mild to moderate pain, and it can also help reduce a fever. It may also be used for other purposes as well. Follow your healthcare provider’s instructions. You should take this medication by mouth with a glass of water and follow the directions on the label. A common brand name is Tylenol®.
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ACETAMINOPHEN (a set a MEE noe fen) treats mild to moderate pain. It may also be used to reduce fever.
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This medicine may be used for other purposes; ask your health care provider or pharmacist if you have questions.
COMMON BRAND NAME(S): Aceta, Actamin, Anacin Aspirin Free, Genapap, Genebs, Mapap, Pain & Fever, Pain and Fever, PAIN RELIEF, PAIN RELIEF Extra Strength, Pain Reliever, Panadol, PHARBETOL, Plus PHARMA, Q-Pap, Q-Pap Extra Strength, Tylenol, Tylenol CrushableTablet, Tylenol Extra Strength, Tylenol Regular Strength, XS No Aspirin, XS Pain Reliever
They need to know if you have any of these conditions:
Take this medication by mouth with a glass of water. Follow the directions on the package or prescription label. Take your medication at regular intervals. Do not take your medication more often than directed.
Talk to your care team about the use of this medication in children. While this medication may be prescribed for children as young as 6 years of age for selected conditions, precautions do apply.
Overdosage: If you think you have taken too much of this medicine contact a poison control center or emergency room at once.
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NOTE: This medicine is only for you. Do not share this medicine with others.
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you can. If it is almost time for your next dose, take only that dose. Do not take double or extra doses.
This list may not describe all possible interactions. Give your health care provider a list of all the medicines, herbs, non-prescription drugs, or dietary supplements you use. Also tell them if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs. Some items may interact with your medicine.
Tell your care team if the pain lasts more than 10 days (5 days for children), if it gets worse, or if there is a new or different kind of pain. Also, check with your care team if a fever lasts for more than 3 days.
Do not take other medications that contain acetaminophen with this one. Always read labels carefully. If you have questions, ask your care team.
If you take too much acetaminophen, get medical help right away. Too much acetaminophen can be very dangerous and cause liver damage. Even if you do not have symptoms, it is important to get help right away.
Side effects that you should report to your care team as soon as possible:
Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your care team if they continue or are bothersome):
This list may not describe all possible side effects. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Keep out of reach of children and pets.
Store at room temperature between 20 and 25 degrees C (68 and 77 degrees F). Protect from moisture and heat. Throw away any unused medication after the expiration date.
NOTE: This sheet is a summary. It may not cover all possible information. If you have questions about this medicine, talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or health care provider.
The current recommended maximum dosage of acetaminophen for an adult is 4,000 milligrams over a 24-hour period. But you should take the lowest amount needed to manage your pain or fever.
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More than 600 prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications contain the active ingredient acetaminophen. This includes many combination products (products that contain more than one active ingredient) that treat cough and cold symptoms. Taking too much acetaminophen can lead to serious liver damage. To avoid taking too much acetaminophen:
If you accidentally took too much Tylenol® at once, contact your poison control center or head to the emergency room right away. Even if you don’t have symptoms, it’s important that you get medical help immediately.
You shouldn’t take acetaminophen and ibuprofen at the same time. But you can alternate between taking them. You should wait a few hours between each dose. For instance, if you take acetaminophen at 10:00 a.m., don’t take ibuprofen until 2:00 p.m. Always follow the proper dosage instructions on the labels of the medications. Research shows that taking these medications in an alternating pattern may effectively manage pain in some cases.
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People commonly use acetaminophen with other pain relievers, like aspirin. Your healthcare provider may recommend aspirin for its blood-thinning capabilities to lower your heart attack or stroke risk.
While aspirin can act as a mild blood thinner (anticoagulant), acetaminophen doesn’t have the same effects. Acetaminophen also doesn’t have any antiplatelet (blood-clotting) properties — it doesn’t impact your blood or blood clotting like aspirin does.
But if you’re on the blood thinner warfarin (Coumadin®, Jantoven®) and you take acetaminophen at higher doses and/or for a longer duration, you may be at a greater risk for bleeding and/or an increased international normalized ratio (INR). If you use it for more than three consecutive days, you may need to get additional INR testing. Reach out to the healthcare provider that manages your warfarin therapy if this occurs.
Regular acetaminophen (Tylenol) will not make you sleepy or cause drowsiness. But products that combine acetaminophen with an antihistamine, such as Tylenol PM, may cause sleepiness. That’s why many people use these products as a nighttime sleep aid.
No, acetaminophen isn’t an anti-inflammatory drug. It doesn’t help reduce swelling or inflammation.
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In rare cases, swelling may be a side effect of acetaminophen use. Stop taking the medication and reach out to your healthcare provider right away if you experience swelling in your:
Acetaminophen can be a safe and effective pain reliever and fever reducer if you use it as directed. But it’s important to take the correct dosage. Taking too much acetaminophen can cause severe liver damage, leading to the need for a liver transplant and even death. So, like any medication, check the labels before taking it, and make sure any combination products you’re taking don’t contain the same active ingredient. If you have any questions about using acetaminophen, ask your healthcare provider.
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Note: Introduction and Additional Common Questions written and medically approved by Cleveland Clinic professionals.
