Ibuprofen Oral Tablet: Dosage, Side Effects, Uses, Cost, and More

what is ibuprofen

This medicine is available both over-the-counter (OTC) and with your doctor’s prescription . Your pharmacist can tell you all of the ingredients in the specific ibuprofen products they stock. People who are allergic to any of the following should not use ibuprofen products.

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what is ibuprofen

Stop taking ibuprofen and talk to your healthcare provider if you have any of the following symptoms. This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You should not use ibuprofen if you are allergic to it, or if you have ever had an asthma attack or severe allergic reaction after taking aspirin or an NSAID.

Cold and Cough Medicine for Infants and Children

As with acetaminophen, ibuprofen blocks part of the cyclooxygenase (COX) pathway in your body and keeps you from making prostaglandin. Prostaglandin is a signal molecule involved in pain and swelling in your body. It’s different from acetaminophen in that it not only works in your brain, but also in the rest of your body. That’s how it can reduce inflammation as well as pain and fever.

what is ibuprofen

Additional Dosage Information

If you have other questions about using ibuprofen during pregnancy, talk with your doctor. (Boxed warnings are serious warnings from the FDA about drug effects that may be dangerous.) So, combining alcohol with ibuprofen can raise your risk of having these side effects. Due to this risk, your doctor usually will not prescribe ibuprofen for you.

  • Tell your health care provider if your symptoms do not start to get better or if they get worse.
  • It’s used in adults and children who are at least 6 months old.
  • This is especially important if you will be giving cough and cold medications to a child.
  • The risk may be greater with a higher dose or long-term use or if a person has a history of heart disease.

Though both ibuprofen and aspirin can irritate the stomach, ibuprofen is less of an irritant. Both drugs also cause an antiplatelet effect, which reduces the function of platelets, cells that help blood clot. This effect is much stronger in aspirin than in ibuprofen, which can be a benefit of aspirin depending on the patient’s needs.

Neuropathic Pain (Nerve Pain)

what is ibuprofen

To learn about other mild side effects, talk with your doctor or pharmacist, or read ibuprofen’s prescribing information. Like most drugs, ibuprofen may cause mild or serious side effects. The lists below describe some of the more common side effects that ibuprofen may cause. The table below includes the recommended can you get addicted to ibuprofen ibuprofen dosages based on the condition you’re using it for. Your doctor will prescribe the dosage that’s right for you based on how severe your symptoms are. Nonprescription cough and cold combination products, including products that contain ibuprofen, can cause serious side effects or death in young children.

what is ibuprofen

Side Effects

These conditions can occur without warning while you are using ibuprofen, especially in older adults. Note that this list is not all-inclusive and includes only common medications that may interact with ibuprofen. You should refer to the prescribing information for ibuprofen for a complete list of interactions.

  • These conditions can occur without warning while you are using ibuprofen, especially in older adults.
  • Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that treats mild to moderate pain and inflammation.
  • Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.
  • To lessen stomach upset, you may take this medicine with food or milk .

It is also used to relieve mild to moderate pain, including menstrual pain (pain that happens before or during a menstrual period). Nonprescription ibuprofen is used to reduce fever and to relieve minor aches and pain from headaches, muscle aches, arthritis, menstrual periods, the common cold, toothaches, and backaches. It works by stopping the body’s production of a substance that causes pain, fever, and inflammation. According to Columbia University Health, ibuprofen “appears to be slightly stronger” than aspirin when treating soft tissue injuries, dental pain and menstrual cramps.

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