Statistics reveal that five to 20 percent of the U.S. population gets the flu. This widespread illness also results in over 200,000 hospitalizations and 31.4 million doctor’s visits each year.
Luckily, most cold and flu cases are manageable and can be treated at home with proper rest and medications like Nyquil.
However, if you have other symptoms, like buzzing headaches or body pain, you might need more than NyQuil to recuperate.
But, “What pain reliever can I take with NyQuil?“, we have the answer to ensure your safety when combining this drug with another.
What Is NyQuil?
NyQuil is an over-the-counter medication for the common cold and flu. It helps relieve varying symptoms, such as sneezing, sore throat, runny nose, cough, fever, and minor aches and pains.
Anyone over 12 years of age can take two LiquiCaps or 30 ml of the NyQuil Liquid every six hours, but you must not exceed four doses over 24 hours.
This medication has three active ingredients:
- acetaminophen, which relieves pain,
- dextromethorphan HBr, a cough suppressant,
- and doxylamine succinate, an antihistamine.
Even though it already contains a pain-relieving component, it isn’t potent enough to ease severe pain.
If you experience moderate to chronic pain and other flu symptoms, you might consider taking any of the meds we’ll discuss below.
What Pain Reliever Can I Take With NyQuil?
So, what pain reliever can I take with NyQuil if I’m struggling with moderate to severe pain?
Your best option is Ibuprofen or Advil. Combining the two would most likely provide greater pain relief, especially if you’re dealing with migraine or other types of moderate pain.
In fact, some studies suggest that intake of acetaminophen and Ibuprofen close to one another or cycling them every two or three hours provides much better pain relief than just taking either one.
There is no drug interaction between NyQuil and Advil. However, it’s important to know that Advil is a different type of pain reliever than acetaminophen.
It’s a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that has anti-inflammatory properties.
Thus, aside from better pain relief, you will also benefit from the anti-inflammatory effects of Ibuprofen when you take it with NyQuil.
Not All Painkillers Can Be Combined With NyQuil
You should know that you can combine all painkillers with NyQuil. It’s important to check the label and see the active ingredients before taking certain medications together.
For example, you shouldn’t take NyQuil with Tylenol as both contain acetaminophen. You might end up taking too much of this active ingredient.
This increase in dosage can lead to serious problems like liver damage and, in worse cases, death.
In fact, the FDA warns against taking too much acetaminophen from over-the-counter drugs, especially if you have liver problems or consume too much alcohol.
According to experts, adults should not take more than 4,000mg of the active compound daily, but people with liver diseases or who drink alcohol excessively require less.
Always check with your physician before combining OTC products that contain acetaminophen.
What to Do Before Combining Cold and Pain Medications
In some cases, painkillers can work side by side with cough and cold medicines like NyQuil.
However, you should know the potential consequences of combining OTC products, such as overdosing on certain compounds.
It’s important to use caution and read products carefully when taking OTC painkillers and cold treatments.
Check the Label for Repeats
Cold medicines like NyQuil can contain a wide range of active compounds, from those that help calm a cough to those that help you sleep better at night.
As noted earlier, be careful not to take two OTC medicines with the same active ingredient, like Tylenol and NyQuil, both containing acetaminophen.
That said, it’s not just Tylenol that contains acetaminophen. You should also watch out for prescription-strength medicines like Vicodin and Percocet.
On drug labels, watch out for words like acetamin, paracetamol, and APAP as they are alternative names for acetaminophen.
Ask Before Use
Ask your pharmacist or doctor if a certain painkiller can be combined with NyQuil.
Aside from causing adverse reactions, one drug can interfere with another drug’s effectiveness or change how your body responds to or absorbs another medicine.
As such, it’s best to ask your doctor or pharmacist beforehand.
Alternatives for Managing Pain Caused By Flu
Headaches and muscle aches are common symptoms of flu.
Although the pain will eventually wane once the virus leaves the body, it can take a few days or two weeks to feel better.
Luckily, there are some things you can do to feel better besides taking medications.
They include:
Rest More
Experts recommend resting and avoiding exercise during the flu. Your immune system needs all the help it can get, and resting is one of those.
Apply Heat Therapy
For flu-related muscle aches, heat therapy works wonders.
Applying heat increases the blood flow to your muscles, improves oxygenation, and removes inflammatory byproducts.
You can use a heating pad set at the lowest setting and a bottle containing hot water and wrapped in a towel.
Either way, place the heat source on the painful area for a maximum of 20 minutes.
Drink More
Staying hydrated helps your body flush germs and viruses out of your system, so the flu and cold symptoms go away fast.
Doctors recommend taking 64 ounces or up to two liters of fluid a day.
However, if you suffer from congestion or vomiting, you may need to drink more to replace the fluids your body has lost.
Another benefit of drinking more H20 is it promotes blood circulation and allows white blood cells to better fight off viruses.
Aside from water, you can drink sports drinks, hot liquids like herbal teas, and juices.
Try a Cold Pack
For severe headaches or migraine, place a cold pack on your forehead. Keep it on for 15 minutes, then take a break for 15 minutes, and repeat.
If you don’t have a cold pack, you can wrap ice cubes in a towel. A bag of frozen fruits or vegetables will also do the trick.
Get a Massage
A few minutes of massaging your neck, temples, and forehead can help ease a tension headache.
Apply gentle, rotating pressure to the painful area in your head.
Get More Sleep
In relation to resting, getting enough sleep is extremely important when fighting a cold or flu.
Sleep helps your immune system to function at its best and ward off viruses and bacteria.
Get a Steamy Shower
A hot shower can help relieve congestion, headache, and other flu symptoms.
Take Vitamins and Supplements
While there isn’t enough scientific evidence that says Vitamin C can prevent flu and cold symptoms, some studies have shown that it can shorten the lifespan of a cold. Plus, it boosts your immune system too.
However, make sure not to overdose on vitamin C supplements as they can cause an upset stomach and other health problems like kidney stones.
Say “Bye” to Flu
Flu and cold are common illnesses that certain medications, such as NyQuil can easily address.
If you are experiencing moderate pain, you can take Ibuprofen with NyQuil.
Make sure not to take other painkillers like Tylenol that contain similar ingredients to NyQuil, such as acetaminophen, as it can lead to serious side effects.
Alternatively, you can try the home remedies listed above to manage pain caused by flu and cold.