The drug of the new generation “Nurofen” helps to relieve various pains effectively, quickly and without much harm to the body, lower the temperature. It acts gently, therefore it is available in various forms - for adults and for children. The drug is widespread, and is used for almost any disease, from colds to arthrosis, arthritis, sprains.
Could there be an allergy to Nurofen? We will try to answer this question in this article.
Description of the drug
"Nurofen" refers to multifunctional drugs. This is a wonderful antipyretic drug for children and an effective analgesic and anti-inflammatory agent.
This non-steroidal composition is not only used to treat babies. It helps adults with rheumatoid pains and colds. "Nurofen" is a drug produced in tablets for adults and in suppositories and syrup for children.
Composition
The active substance - ibuprofen combines with blood proteins, and then gets into the joint cavity, lingering in the synovial tissue. It is excreted from the body with bile. This facilitates the assimilation of the material and does not significantly affect the composition of the blood, which avoids the negative effect on the liver during filtration.
The composition of the drug includes ibuprofen, which reduces body temperature and reduces pain. For children, an orange or strawberry flavor is added to the product. The smallest patients are prescribed Nurofen syrup, and in difficult cases, rectal suppositories are prescribed. From the age of six, tablets may be prescribed to the child. Adult patients "Nurofen" is prescribed only in tablets.
Despite the many advantages of this drug, an allergy to Nurofen sometimes develops. Negative reactions are extremely rare, and in most cases children are exposed to them. This is due to the incomplete development of the baby. Allergy to Nurofen is due to drug rejection. With age, the reaction may disappear.
Indications for the use of "Nurofen"
For adult patients, the drug is prescribed for:
- migraines and headaches;
- joint and muscle pain;
- pain in the spine and arthritis;
- painful menstruation;
- in the rehabilitation period after operations;
- toothache.
For children, as we have already mentioned, Nurofen is prescribed at high temperature and various types of pain. Unfortunately, even the most sparing medicines do not guarantee complete safety. Quite rarely, but patients are allergic to Nurofen. Photos of the manifestations of this reaction are often published by special medical publications.
Can antihistamines be taken without a doctor's prescription?
An allergic reaction to this drug occurs due to the presence of ibuprofen, a chemical substance. In tablets of “Nurofen”, in contrast to children's forms, a small percentage of analgesics is added, enhancing the negative effect of people predisposed to allergic reactions on the body.
Unfortunately, many people treat allergies scornfully, making a huge mistake, because a severe allergic reaction can be fatal if the necessary measures are not taken in a timely manner. According to allergists, today only every tenth allergic person seeks qualified help from them. Many of them are self-medicating - they remove unpleasant allergy symptoms with the help of antihistamines, the names of which they heard in television advertisements, or which were assigned to neighbors and friends.
If it is not so easy for an adult to harm a medicine that he has prescribed for himself, then an improperly selected drug can cause serious and sometimes irreparable harm to the child’s health. This mainly concerns the drugs of the "first" generation, which are now sold over the counter in every pharmacy.
Symptoms of a drug allergy
In both adults and children, the symptoms of this type of allergy have similar symptoms. There is only one difference, and it consists in the fact that in a child the reaction manifests itself faster, no more than two hours after taking the drug. Symptoms may appear differently. Urgent measures should be taken when the following symptoms appear:
- redness and rashes on the skin, accompanied by severe itching;
- signs of suffocation, shortness of breath; abdominal pain, colic, flatulence; dryness and peeling of the skin;
- nausea, vomiting, dizziness, migraine.
The manufacturers of this drug guarantee the absence of allergic reactions, citing the fact that the product does not have artificial dyes or chemical additives. However, an allergy may develop on ibuprofen. An overdose of the drug may be accompanied by vomiting and abdominal pain, indigestion, feces will become light, almost white. Heartburn and bitterness in the mouth may appear. In rare cases, throat or lung edema may develop.
Causes of Allergies
The main causes of allergies to Nurofen include:
- reaction to ibuprofen - the active substance of the drug;
- flavorings, other additives as part of Nurofen;
- violation of the instructions for use of the drug (overdose).
It must be borne in mind that Nurofen may be incompatible with some other drugs, so it is advisable to take it under medical supervision.
Diagnostics
Allergy to Nurofen in a child, and in an adult patient, manifests itself quite quickly. For this reason, determining it is not very difficult even at home. As soon as the first symptoms of an allergy to Nurofen appeared, the drug should be discontinued.
The allergen that caused the reaction cannot be determined independently. You can only understand that this is one of the components of the drug. Or maybe the reaction is caused by some other drug taken in parallel with Nurofen. Therefore, a visit to an allergist is necessary, especially if an allergic reaction develops in a small child. Tell your doctor what medications were taken before you had an allergy, and take the necessary tests.
If there are substantial arguments that an allergy to Nurofen has developed in a child or an adult, the doctor will prescribe laboratory tests. As part of the research, specialists will need a general blood test for the presence of immunoglobulin to establish a diagnosis. If the blood protein level is exceeded, then the doctor has no doubt that we are talking about the presence of an allergic disease. Tests are carried out on all substances that are part of the drug.
For children older than three years, some skin tests are provided. Extracts of likely allergens in minimal doses are injected under the skin, and the doctor notes the appearance or absence of certain reactions. If redness occurs and papules form, then the doctor will diagnose this as a sign of an allergy to Nurofen in a child. You can see a photo of the symptoms in this article. Only a qualified specialist will be able to establish an accurate diagnosis, identify an allergen that rejects the body, and prescribe treatment.
First aid for allergies
If the child has developed an allergy to rectal suppositories “Nurofen”, then the baby needs to have a cleansing enema. This will help the body get rid of concentrated irritating substances. An allergy to Nurofen syrup or tablets also requires immediate washing of the baby’s stomach. After that, you should give him Enterosgel or activated carbon.
If there are signs of an allergy to the Nurofen syrup in a child, you should immediately stop taking the drug and change your baby’s clothes in cotton cloth, which will not cause skin irritation. For skin rashes and itching, local antihistamines ("Fenistil"), as well as general drugs ("Zodak", "Erius", "Diphenhydramine", "Suprastin") are prescribed. With the development of serious and dangerous conditions, the help of medical workers will be required. In this case, hormones in the form of injections can be used, and in case of emergency, adrenaline.
With a profuse rash, occupying large areas of the skin, you should regularly rinse the baby's body with cool water, gently wipe the inflamed areas with infusion of chamomile or a string. These herbs relieve itching and inflammation. Creams and ointments for burns (intended for children) will moisturize the skin.
Adult Allergy Symptoms
They are similar to those that occur in children - skin itching, inflammation and skin irritation. In especially difficult cases, Quincke's edema or anaphylactic shock can develop, which, if untreated, can lead to death. If such complications are suspected, an ambulance crew must be called in immediately. Medical workers will undertake a series of resuscitation procedures aimed at ensuring normalization of the cardiovascular system, blood flow to the brain.
Treatment features
Considering that Nurofen is one of the most widespread and most effective drugs, it is not easy to refuse it. However, there are many of its analogues, which have a slightly different composition. Only a doctor who knows the medical history of a particular patient can choose the appropriate substitute for Nurofen.
If the symptoms persist, it is necessary to take an antihistamine (Tavegil, Suprasinex) in a dosage that corresponds to the patient's age. Before taking an antihistamine, it must be taken into account that the drug can settle on the previously used sorbent and the desired effect will not occur. For this reason, these drugs should be taken at intervals of 40 minutes.
In addition to the antihistamine group, anti-allergenic ointments are used for skin rashes and itching. Before applying them, the damaged areas must be washed with cool water, and an adult should take a shower. When treating a child, it is not recommended to use hormonal ointments - the skin of babies is too sensitive and can easily absorb the medicine, and this is undesirable. For children, allergists recommend products such as Elidel and Fenistil.
What can replace "Nurofen"?
An allergy to the children's Nurofen can be quite strong and painful for the baby. An allergist or pediatrician will be able to pick up another antipyretic.
- Ibuprofen is the most popular Russian substitute for Nurofen. The drug is available in the same forms as the original.
- "Ibuklin" is an Indian combined preparation in the composition. which includes two active substances - paracetamol and ibuprofen
- Advil is a high-quality German drug. Known for effective and quick action against acute inflammatory diseases.
- Paracetamol may become a substitute for Nurofen. and other drugs that are developed on its basis.
Children are strictly forbidden to give aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid), since it is also a very strong allergen. If the symptoms of an allergy to Nurofen are not too pronounced, and they do not bother the child, try to do without medication. A day or two after the drug is discontinued, allergy symptoms will disappear without treatment.