The Pain Pack
Multiple studies have shown that using 1g of Paracetamol with 400mg of Ibuprofen provides mild and moderate pain relief. The most recent addition to this long line of evidence came out last month in the Journal of American Medical Association. They showed that the Pain Pack is just as good for moderate pain as oxycodone, hydrocodone and even codeine.
Equal to morphine
Additional studies have shown that the Pain Pack gives similar pain relief as 2mg of IV morphine. With the risk of opioid dependence, the first drugs option the Remote Medic should reach for is the Pain Pack. Studies have shown that it is just as good as many other drugs but with less severe side effects.
Risks
There is no golden doughnut. Taking Ibuprofen can give your kidneys and digestive tract a lot of problems. Taking Paracetamol can cause liver damage. Be a good medic and check your contraindications before giving out the Pain Pack.
- JAMA. 2017 Nov 7;318(17):1661-1667. doi: 10.1001/jama.2017.16190.
- Pediatrics. 2015 Feb;135(2):307-13. doi: 10.1542/peds.2014-1906.
Next Generation Combat Medic 
side effects do exist, and each and every healthcare provider should be aware of what might go wrong.
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pain + 2mg Morphine = pain. Im not sure that you have me convinced as low dose MSO4 is a terrible idea.
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Anytime that I can use a non-opiate for pain, I am going to use it. Sure, morphine takes care of moderate and severe pain, but why use it for minor pain if the pain-pack will work?
If you use morphine, now you have to worry about stool softeners and the risk of dependency.
Plus, in a remote environment, I have to think about resupply. Why use the morphine which can be difficult to get, when you can find APAP and ibuprofen in just about any chemist in any town in the world?
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