ELI5: How does a paracetamol know what hurts me?

Paracetamol does not know exactly where it hurts; it works in your brain to make pain feel smaller and help bring down fever.

• Think of your body like a house with a pain alarm. When you bump your knee or get a headache, the alarm says, “Ouch!”
• Paracetamol does not go to the sore spot and “fix” it like a bandage. Instead, it helps turn the alarm down in the brain, so the hurt feels less loud.
• It is a bit like lowering the volume on a noisy toy. The toy is still there, but it feels easier to ignore.
• That is why paracetamol can help with things like headaches, toothaches, sore muscles, and fevers.
• It helps you feel better, but it does not always mend the thing that caused the pain.