# Skin pain or tenderness

- Category: acute
- Review status: reviewed (every claim checked against a document named on this page)
- Sources: NICE Guideline NG138: Cough (acute) 2019 · Paracetamol 500mg Tablets SmPC section 4.2 (eMC product 5164)
- Verified date: 2026-08

## Verified against

- Paracetamol 500mg Tablets SmPC section 4.2 (eMC product 5164)
- MSF Essential Drugs 2024 - paracetamol (oral)

## Treatment metadata

- Paracetamol — 500 mg — oral.solid

## Complete treatment card

```text
SKIN PAIN OR TENDERNESS
Sources: NICE Guideline NG138: Cough (acute) 2019 · Paracetamol 500mg Tablets SmPC section 4.2 (eMC
         product 5164)
Review status: REVIEWED against Paracetamol 500mg Tablets SmPC section 4.2 (eMC product 5164), MSF
               Essential Drugs 2024 - paracetamol (oral)  (2026-08)

1. PARACETAMOL                                            [1st line]
   Adult    1 g 3 or 4 times daily (max. 4 g daily) - As needed (do not take for more than 3 days
            without consulting a doctor)
   Peds     10-15 mg/kg/dose  [child max 500 mg]
            (Child 1 month and over: 15 mg/kg 3 or 4 times daily (max. 60
            mg/kg daily). Child under 1 month: 10 mg/kg 3 or 4 times daily
            (max. 40 mg/kg daily). Below about 33 kg use a paediatric
            paracetamol suspension - the 500 mg tablet is not for that
            weight.)
            3kg -> 30-45 mg/dose                    4kg -> 40-60 mg/dose
            5kg -> 50-75 mg/dose                    6kg -> 60-90 mg/dose
            7kg -> 70-105 mg/dose                   8kg -> 80-120 mg/dose
            9kg -> 90-135 mg/dose                   10kg -> 100-150 mg/dose
            11kg -> 110-165 mg/dose                 12kg -> 120-180 mg/dose
            13kg -> 130-195 mg/dose                 14kg -> 140-210 mg/dose
            15kg -> 150-225 mg/dose                 16kg -> 160-240 mg/dose
            17kg -> 170-255 mg/dose                 18kg -> 180-270 mg/dose
            19kg -> 190-285 mg/dose                 20kg -> 200-300 mg/dose
            21kg -> 210-315 mg/dose                 22kg -> 220-330 mg/dose
            23kg -> 230-345 mg/dose                 24kg -> 240-360 mg/dose
            25kg -> 250-375 mg/dose                 26kg -> 260-390 mg/dose
            27kg -> 270-405 mg/dose                 28kg -> 280-420 mg/dose
            29kg -> 290-435 mg/dose                 30kg -> 300-450 mg/dose
            31kg -> 310-465 mg/dose                 32kg -> 320-480 mg/dose
            33kg -> 330-495 mg/dose                 34kg -> 340-500 mg/dose (upper capped)
            35kg -> 350-500 mg/dose (upper capped)  36kg -> 360-500 mg/dose (upper capped)
            37kg -> 370-500 mg/dose (upper capped)  38kg -> 380-500 mg/dose (upper capped)
            39kg -> 390-500 mg/dose (upper capped)  40kg -> 400-500 mg/dose (upper capped)
            41kg -> 410-500 mg/dose (upper capped)  42kg -> 420-500 mg/dose (upper capped)
            43kg -> 430-500 mg/dose (upper capped)  44kg -> 440-500 mg/dose (upper capped)
            45kg -> 450-500 mg/dose (upper capped)  46kg -> 460-500 mg/dose (upper capped)
            47kg -> 470-500 mg/dose (upper capped)  48kg -> 480-500 mg/dose (upper capped)
            49kg -> 490-500 mg/dose (upper capped)  50kg -> 500 mg/dose (capped)
   Source   MSF Essential Drugs 2024 - paracetamol (oral)
   Why      Skin pain/tenderness is a symptom with many possible causes; paracetamol at the standard
            adult analgesic/antipyretic dose gives safe symptomatic pain relief while the underlying
            cause is identified and treated, and its dose does not change with the cause of the
            pain.
   Caution  Rapidly spreading painful redness with fever suggests cellulitis or a necrotising soft
            tissue infection needing urgent treatment.
            Simple analgesia only - does not treat an underlying infection; if the painful area is
            spreading, hot, swollen, or accompanied by fever, this suggests cellulitis or a deeper
            infection needing antibiotics/urgent review, not analgesia alone.
            The maximum is 4 g in 24 hours in adults; reduce the total daily dose in known liver
            disease, malnutrition, or low body weight.
            Safe to combine with treatment directed at the underlying skin cause once identified.
   Egypt    FEBRIMOL 500 MG 20 TAB.          PHARCO               3.50 EGP (0.17/unit)
            CETAMOL 500 MG 20 TABS.          MEMPHIS              8.00 EGP (0.40/unit)
            PARACETAMOL-MUP 500MG B.P. 20 TABS. MUP                            13.00 EGP (0.65/unit)
            CETAL 500 MG 20 TABS.            EIPICO              24.00 EGP (1.20/unit)
            ARKADOLOW 500 MG 30 F.C. TABS.   UTOPIA              42.00 EGP (1.40/unit)
            PARAMOL 500MG 20 TAB.            MISR                38.00 EGP (1.90/unit)
            ADOL 500MG 24 CAPLETS            JULPHAR             32.00 EGP
            AUGICETAMIDE 500 MG 20 SACHETS   AUG PHARMA          50.00 EGP
            FEBRIMOL ORAL DROPS 20 ML        PHARCO               4.00 EGP
                -> ? strength differs, ? different route - not oral solid
            THERA-LO 3.2G/100ML ORAL SUSP. 100 ML PHAROPHARMA                               5.00 EGP
                -> ? strength differs, ? different route - not oral solid

Prices are indicative (dataset snapshot 2026-06); verify with the pharmacy.
```

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Dawaa Reference is a reference for prescribers, not a medical device, and does not replace clinical judgement.

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