How long does it take for paracetamol to stop a headache for you?

[2025willbemytime]

Finally gave in at 3.30 and took two paracetamol. Hadn't made any difference. Is there a better medication for headaches and is it relevant why the headache is there in the first place?

I had heard of this too, and so rather than Nurofen, I bought a box of Smarties (similar size, some of them similar colour) and ate the lot and bugger me if my headache didn't get worse!

In the interest of balance, I should say that the Sherbet Fountain as a substitute for Lemsip didn't work either.

Sooner you take the better but its not always possible. i try to head it off at the pass but if is migraine nothing can stop it
I cannot take Neurofen but i do find 4Head for general headaches pretty good esp the tension style ones
mind you you cannot beat a good cold flannel on your head and back of your neck

I know one doesn't want to take painkillers immediately but my experience is they work better if you do. When I used to have painful periods, I found I could either get rid of the pain or substantially reduce it by taking them as quickly as I could. Same works for migraines with me. I once found a scientific article confirming this is a real thing.

I rarely get headaches these days but if two paracetamol don't touch it, I follow up with ibuprofen. Someone once told me they are good for headaches, and maybe it's only because I believe that, they do often work. Other than that, relaxing or doing something to take my mind off it will help.

There are so many reasons why I didn't take something immediately but one thought is that it might pass on its own without. I went through a stage of getting a lot of headaches and it was worrying me how much I was taking them, which was straight away and four hourly.

It takes about 30 minutes for them to work for me. Unless it's one of those all day headaches that nothing can touch. Or an ice pick headache. Definitely doesn't work for migraines. I get an assortment of headaches😅

Definitely agree. It's the only thing that works for me

Another good one to have a supply of is aspirin if you can take it? Some full sugar coke and an ice pack to the back of the neck.
Hope you feel better soon

Panadol - 10 minutes.

It says it probably doesn't work for chronic pain, not that it doesn't work at all. It absolutely works for me. I can't take ibuprofen and I have never taken codeine-based pain relief. If I have a headache, paracetamol gets rid of it within 20-30 mins. Ongoing back pain? The pain when I had gallstones- nope, not so much!

But please not with paracetamol!

About 20 minutes for it to start to kick in (I take paracetamol with caffeine tablets which I find work better).
Not every pain relief option works for everyone so you need to find the ones that work for you.

I swear by Feminax!

Tell me more about this

For me paracetamol either works in 15 or 20 minutes or not at all.

You could also try a large mug of green tea. This has antioxidants and anti inflammatory properties and will rehydrate you.

Paracetamol won't work with all types of pain - for a start, it's not an anti-inflammatory drug.

That doesn't mean to say that it's a placebo though.

Seems I need to do research to find a pain killer that works pretty quickly. Thanks all.

If you buy a brand that's soluble, it should get to work faster @2025willbemytime

I had terrible hip pain when I woke this morning from my arthritis, I took some soluble Solpadiene Max and was a lot better in about 15 minutes and managed to get out of bed

GP will not give me painkillers for my arthritis even though is getting very bad, they told me that painkillers do not work for pain🙄 I beg to differ

That's handy to know though it's taken me years to be able to swallow tablets. Drinking it would taste awful but it's just a moment for hopefully a better result.

Sorry to hear that, it sounds awful. So what are the point of pain killers then. The clue is in the name...

Ibuprofen should always be taken with food, or at least a drink of milk, to protect your stomach.

I use ibuprofen for a headache it usually works. If it's a bad one only the ibuprofen with lysine will touch it

Yes, I've taken ibuprofen on an empty stomach and paid the price. Tricky when I can't face eating but I'm in pain.

today is not a good day for me tbh but at least I don't have a headache.