OTC Painkillers as Effective as Prescription Counterparts After Tonsillectomy

OTC painkillers work as well as their prescription counterparts after tonsillectomy, according to the results of a study presented at the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Annual Meeting on October 1, 2013.

In an analysis of 25 children and adults, it was determined that OTC ibuprofen helped patients manage their pain as effectively as acetaminophen painkillers that are coupled with hydrocodone or codeine. The FDA issued a warning about codeine for pain relief after pediatric tonsillectomy, and added a boxed warning to codeine products used after pediatric tonsillectomy in 2013.

Researchers recommended that children receive OTC ibuprofen after tonsillectomy, citing their results and the FDA’s warning.