See bamdrew's explanation on paracetamol; it's just the trade name of acetaminophen in certain parts of the world, as tylenol is the tradename in the US. naproxen is another NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) like ibruprofen, and so has a very similar mechanism of action to it. It too is a cox-1 and cox-2 inhibitor, and other drugs exist which are more selective to one or the other, but most have been associated with severe although rare side effects (vioxx was a cox-2 selective inhibitor)

>> ^lucky760:

Fascinating and something I've always wanted to know.
Now how do acetaminophen and naproxen sodium work?

It is generally understood that acetaminophen/paracetemol binds and reduces oxidized, 'highly active' COX-2 enzymes... this chills out the COX-2 activity until it is oxidized again and cranks back up. So imagine in this animation acetaminophen kind-of causing that active COX binding site to close up a little for a while, and preventing it from working in that way.

Acetaminophen also doesn't appear to have a lot of anti-inflammatory action near the actual site of inflammation, but rather more globally throughout the body; folks hypothesize a lot about the reason for this, but I like the simple answer that acetaminophen itself can't reduce oxidized COX enzymes in an injured area surrounded by high levels of oxidative species.

(nerd fist-bump)

>> ^MilkmanDan:

>> ^spoco2:
But what about paracetamol? That's different, because you can take the allowed dosage of that and the allowed dosage of ibuprofen at the same time without interaction... but how does it work?

Paracetemol is the major painkiller here in Thailand, which annoys me because I believe that I am essentially immune to it. I took paracetemol (tylenol) often when I was in my pre and early teens for migraines. At some point, I found that it just wouldn't do anything for me anymore. Ibuprofen and Aspirin both work great, so I always use those when I have a choice -- but the default is always Paracetemol here.

Okay, so I skimmed the WHO documents. I'm a physicist and not a doctor/virologist/biologist, but the "WHO - Documents: (proving they want to turn vaccines into killers)" really just seem to be papers that say: "This is how viruses act. This is how the human body responds to them. We should investigate these aspects of it." I don't see anything scary there. Maybe she's flying off the handle about the part where it talks about antigens killing infected cells?

--oh, actually, re-reading what you posted above it looks like the evidence of killer-vaccines seems to be research into weakening immune systems. I think it's pretty well-known that the immune response can be dangerous, sometimes. Every anti-inflammatory, every antihistamine, etc. is getting in the way of your immune system. In fact, the bit I mentioned above (from memo 1) talks about how sometimes the antigen killing the infected cell can maybe be a good thing, suggesting that in other cases it may be a bad thing. And so it'd be pretty obvious to want to be able to control it.

I don't see any mention of the WHO in NSPD-51 (and even that link above was fear-mongering about that being used to cancel the 2008 election. And now they're using it to fear-monger about dissolving the US government to cede it to the WHO? Come on).

I'm going to call crackpot.

Edit: Corrected a couple typos. There are probably more. Tired.

If everyone like me stopped working, you'd be living in poverty too. I didn't say I was going to stop working...just stop paying taxes. By the time socialism is in full swing in this country I'll be retired and you'll still be slaving 40+ hours a week to pay all my bills.

Cheers.

>> ^peggedbea
i completely support your idea to drop out and live in abject poverty. maybe then you wouldnt be such a whiny objectivist selfish little bitch who lacks the perspective to have a relevant fucking take on anything.

As an addendum, I wonder how much that ER bill is when your son has an asthma attack? Surely you are present, and can see what exactly they are doing (giving him a anti-inflammatory, likely a steroid, either intravenously or via a respirator). I wonder how much those shots or respirators would cost if they were freely available? $5, $10? How hard would they be to administer at home? The fact is, you really don't have any business going to an emergency room for an asthma attack.

I must admit I've never used this type of medicine. For my knee injuries I used, tylonol 3, a muscle relaxant, Ibuprofen and some other anti-inflammatory but the only drug that even felt like it did anything was TORADOL. The relief was almost instant as I went from what I would describe a 9.9 on the pain scale to about a 1 or 2 within 5 minutes. Now, I had it via a needle which works quicker, but there is a pill form.

I believe Toradol is a type of Ketorolac There was no addiction - though admittedly, I don't think I received enough doses to become addicted.

persephone, the fact that you believe that these lactose tablets are doing anything is all well and good bar these few things:
* They are doing NOTHING other than any placebo effect, they truly do contain NOTHING at all that could possibly help.
* You are paying for sugar/lactose tablets, you are being conned
* I agree with the over prescription of antibiotics, and I have THREE kids. Two of which we try to never use them on. One we do because he has a series of congenital heart defects which makes the chances of him getting an infection in his heart quite high. For the two kids of ours who don't have this problem we quiet happily give them nothing but panadol or the like for whatever pain they may have, and that's it, let them ride it out and become stronger for it. We would NEVER use homeopathy to treat our heart kid, because if we did, and the infection spread to his heart because, well, the homeopathy does diddly squat, we'd never forgive ourselves.

The few times we do give our kids pain relief, it works a charm because they hardly ever have it.

Stop being part of the problem and spreading the misinformation about homeopathy.

Now, in regards to your Arnica, if you're using it as an external ointment with an actual amount in it, then yes
"There is some positive evidence that arnica has some anti-inflammatory activity when applied externally."

HOWEVER in all other cases:

"A recent review of all placebo-controlled studies related to the clinical efficacy of oral arnica found that the homeopathic remedy is no more efficacious than placebo."

And:

"A placebo-controlled study examining the possible ameliorative effect of oral arnica on the tissue trauma following removal of impacted wisdom teeth found more pain and swelling in the arnica-treated group than in the placebo group. "

Quotes from here

Basically it's bunk... for bumps and scratches use a tea tree ointment, it's in no way homeopathy (it has actual, measurable concentrations), it is a wonderful antiseptic, and reduces swelling etc. and is still nice and natural if that's what you're after.

Try and think a little scientifically when using these things, think about whether there's anything else that you're doing at the same time that may actually be doing the good, and also about your mental state where you 'believe' that it's going to work.

And also stop assuming those who don't believe in homeopathy haven't tried it and haven't sat up at night with a collicy baby, or heaven forbid, one with a nasal gastric tube and acid reflux. Because, you know, some of us have.