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Over-the-counter medicines sold for headaches in South Korea are not interchangeable. Guidance from the country’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety shows that four widely available products target different symptoms, from headaches accompanying a cold to migraines and other types of pain.
Cold Symptoms and Headaches
Pancol A oral solution, made by Dongwha Pharm, is intended for multiple cold symptoms, including headache, fever, chills, runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat, cough, phlegm, joint pain and muscle aches. The listed adult dose is one 30-milliliter bottle three times a day, taken 30 minutes after meals.
Noesun is used for headaches as well as toothaches, pain after dental extraction, sore throat, ear pain, joint and nerve pain, backaches, muscle and shoulder pain, bruises, fractures, sprains, menstrual cramps and other injury-related pain. It is also labeled to reduce fever associated with chills. Adults are directed to take one packet per dose, no more than three times a day, while avoiding an empty stomach and allowing at least four hours between doses.
Migraine and Other Pain
Naxen tablets contain naproxen and are labeled for migraines, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, tendinitis, acute gout, menstrual pain, bursitis, musculoskeletal injuries and pain after surgery or dental extraction. For migraine, the listed initial adult dose is three tablets, or 750 milligrams. If needed, an additional one or two tablets, totaling 250 to 500 milligrams, may be taken during the day.
Brufen 200-milligram tablets contain ibuprofen. They are used for headaches, fever and pain associated with colds, back pain, menstrual cramps, postoperative pain, toothaches, muscle pain, nerve pain and acute gout, among other conditions. For mild to moderate pain or cold symptoms, the listed adult dose is one or two tablets, or 200 to 400 milligrams, three to four times a day. When taken for a cold, use should generally be limited to five days.
Safety Warnings
All four products carry restrictions for people who are allergic to their ingredients or who have experienced asthma or another allergic reaction after taking fever reducers, pain relievers, anti-inflammatory drugs or cold medicines. Depending on the product, pregnant or breastfeeding patients, children, older adults and people with gastrointestinal ulcers or bleeding, high blood pressure, or liver, kidney or heart disease may need to avoid the medicine or consult a doctor or pharmacist before taking it.
Listed possible reactions include rash, itching, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, constipation, dizziness and swelling. The labels also warn of potentially serious reactions involving difficulty breathing, chest tightness, cold sweats, paleness and swelling. Pancol A and Noesun include warnings about Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis, while Naxen and Brufen include warnings about gastrointestinal bleeding, peptic ulcers and perforation.
Anyone whose symptoms do not improve after taking Noesun five or six times should stop using it and consult a doctor or pharmacist. Patients with a history of medication-related fever, rash, joint pain, asthma or itching should also seek professional advice before using these products.
This information is based on the South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety’s public medication database. It is general guidance and is not a substitute for a medical diagnosis or prescription. Patients should check the individual product label and consult a doctor or pharmacist before use.
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