Health

Fact Check: Taking Ibuprofen Puts You At Risk For Coronavirus Infection?

With the Coronavirus death toll nearly reaching 9,000 while more than 220,000 people remain infected – there are so many medical rumours floating around in this time of panic.

It has been suggested that if you have any symptoms of Coronavirus such as fever, cough, and breathing difficulty then taking Ibuprofen can make things worse for you.

Claims were made that while young people are mostly unaffected by Coronavirus, if they take Ibuprofen when they feel sick then they run a risk of having a severe Coronavirus infection.

Ibuprofen is known for masking the infection, which makes it dangerous

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Ibuprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicine and if you have been taking it for a long time then it can cause respiratory problems – making you vulnerable to infections such as coronavirus.

Long term usage of Ibuprofen is also known to cause problems in the stomach and kidney along with other complications.

But the most dangerous attribute of taking Ibuprofen is that it masks any kind of infection, preventing it from coming into notice and getting detected.

So it is being said that while Ibuprofen can make you prone to catching the virus, it can also hide the infection long enough to make things really worse.

France’s Health Minister warned about Ibuprofen

Image Credit: Reuters

France’s Health Minister Olivier Veran tweeted:

Taking anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen, cortisone…) could be an aggravating factor of the infection.

It is advised to switch to Paracetamol

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However, the National Health Service of USA responded to the tweet saying there is “currently no strong evidence that ibuprofen can make coronavirus worse.”

 

But until we have more information, take paracetamol to treat the symptoms of coronavirus. 

However, they have no denied a plausible possibility. The NHS also suggested that people should switch to Paracetamol for the time being.

We remind patients to use paracetamol. Anti-inflammatories – including ibuprofen – can mask an infection, and potentially aggravate it in certain cases.

If you feel any of these symptoms, this is what you should do

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If you feel a sudden fever with high temperatures on the chest or back, or a sudden cough that stays on – then you might have the infection.

The medical advice in these situations is that you should take paracetamol and drink plenty of water.

Public Health England suggested:

You should drink enough during the day so your urine (pee) is a pale clear colour.

Although you should not take an overdose of Paracetamol, and always follow the medical regulations about it.

Here are some basic rules to follow even if you are not at risk for Coronavirus

  1. Stay at home as much as possible
  2. Keep a certain distance between you and the others, 6 feet or at least 1 meter
  3. Wash your hands with soap always and use alcohol sanitizer gel
  4. Cough or sneeze on your elbow than your hands
  5. Use tissues and dispose of properly
  6. Avoid shaking hands, kissing when meeting with people
  7. Stay at home if sick

 

 

Featured Image Courtesy: DW

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