Coronavirus symptoms can be difficult to manage and may leave you feeling rough and worn out.
Common symptoms of a Covid infection can include a high temperature or shivering chills, a new, continuous cough, shortness of breath, feeling tired or exhausted, body aches, a headache and more. The NHS advises people suffering from these symptoms to get plenty of rest and look after themselves at home while in recovery.
According to the NHS, some simple ways to treat symptoms while recovering include getting plenty of rest, drinking plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration and taking paracetamol or ibuprofen if you experience significant discomfort from the virus.
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In the early days of the pandemic, the NHS advised against using Ibuprofen and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), citing some reports of a potential adverse reaction. However, a review commissioned by NHS England and carried out jointly by the Commission on Human Medicines as well as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence looked into potential reactions from NSAIDs in people with Covid.
The review concluded that there was not enough evidence to establish any link between ibuprofen and other NSAIDs and worsening of Covid-19 symptoms. Stephen Powis, national medical director for NHS England released a statement in April 2020 which reads: "The lowest effective dose of ibuprofen should be used for the shortest duration necessary to control symptoms."
Gino Martini, chief scientist at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society said at the time the review was published: "This advice is based on all the scientific evidence available to us and is a sensible approach."
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has also stated that it "does not recommend against the use of ibuprofen[for Covid-19]" while also saying it is "not aware of reports of any negative effects of ibuprofen, beyond the usual known side effects that limit its use in certain populations".
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